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 arrangement for automatically removing a strip of dark meat from a fish fillet has a conveying unit for transporting the fish fillet from an inlet to an outlet area in a transport direction along a transport path. Starting from the inlet area, successively along the transport path, are provided: a first means for detecting dark meat; a first cutting apparatus for removing a middle partial strip of dark meat; a means for opening up the fillet such that cut surfaces of a ventral-side partial and of a dorsal-side partial strip of dark meat point upwards; a cutting unit for removing the partial strips, the cutting unit comprising second and third cutting apparatuses for removing the ventral and dorsal-side partial strips. A control device is connected to the detecting means and the cutting apparatuses, and all cuts are based on information from the detecting means. A corresponding method is provided.

An arrangement for automatically removing a strip of dark meat from a fish fillet has a conveying unit for transporting the fish fillet from an inlet to an outlet area in a transport direction along a transport path. Starting from the inlet area, successively along the transport path, are provided: a first means for detecting dark meat; a first cutting apparatus for removing a middle partial strip of dark meat; a means for opening up the fillet such that cut surfaces of a ventral-side partial and of a dorsal-side partial strip of dark meat point upwards; a cutting unit for removing the partial strips, the cutting unit comprising second and third cutting apparatuses for removing the ventral and dorsal-side partial strips. A control device is connected to the detecting means and the cutting apparatuses, and all cuts are based on information from the detecting means. A corresponding method is provided.

A device for hanging captured game is provided. The device includes a polymerized device body. The device body includes a front planar surface and a rear planar surface, wherein the rear planar surface is parallel to the front planar surface. The device body further includes a rimless boundary around a perimeter of the polymerized device body and a game hook formed unitarily with the polymerized device body such that a first surface of the game hook is coincident to the front planar surface and a second surface of the game hook is coincident to the rear planar surface. The front planar surface directly transitions to the rimless boundary. The rear planar surface directly transitions to the rimless boundary.

A device for hanging captured game is provided. The device includes a polymerized device body. The device body includes a front planar surface and a rear planar surface, wherein the rear planar surface is parallel to the front planar surface. The device body further includes a rimless boundary around a perimeter of the polymerized device body and a game hook formed unitarily with the polymerized device body such that a first surface of the game hook is coincident to the front planar surface and a second surface of the game hook is coincident to the rear planar surface. The front planar surface directly transitions to the rimless boundary. The rear planar surface directly transitions to the rimless boundary.

Disclosed in the present invention is a fishway effect evaluation method based on stable isotope method, belonging to the technical field of fishway effect evaluation. The fishway effect evaluation method according to the present invention comprises stable isotope ratio determination, trophic niche estimation and effectiveness evaluation on fishway construction. The evaluation method according to the present invention is used for researching one or more migratory fishes in the upstream and downstream of the water conservancy projects, determining and quantitatively explaining whether the influence of the water conservancy projects on one or more migratory fishes is eliminated or not from the perspective of the ecosystem through comparison and analysis of stable isotopes, and has the characteristics of high detection speed, stable result and the like.

Disclosed in the present invention is a fishway effect evaluation method based on stable isotope method, belonging to the technical field of fishway effect evaluation. The fishway effect evaluation method according to the present invention comprises stable isotope ratio determination, trophic niche estimation and effectiveness evaluation on fishway construction. The evaluation method according to the present invention is used for researching one or more migratory fishes in the upstream and downstream of the water conservancy projects, determining and quantitatively explaining whether the influence of the water conservancy projects on one or more migratory fishes is eliminated or not from the perspective of the ecosystem through comparison and analysis of stable isotopes, and has the characteristics of high detection speed, stable result and the like.

Gutting machine for fish, comprising a conveyor belt to receive fish, where the fish is placed with the abdomen facing a number of cutting and cleaning tools for gutting and cleaning of the fish when it is transported on said conveyor belt, in which said conveyor belt is equipped with a number of holding devices where respective holding devices are adapted for firmly holding the fish, and that one or more barriers arranged adjoining said conveyor belt are adapted to slow down the movement of the fish until the fish is firmly held in a respective holding device and is brought by the conveyor belt in its direction of movement. Also described is a method for gutting the fish in a gutting machine.

Gutting machine for fish, comprising a conveyor belt to receive fish, where the fish is placed with the abdomen facing a number of cutting and cleaning tools for gutting and cleaning of the fish when it is transported on said conveyor belt, in which said conveyor belt is equipped with a number of holding devices where respective holding devices are adapted for firmly holding the fish, and that one or more barriers arranged adjoining said conveyor belt are adapted to slow down the movement of the fish until the fish is firmly held in a respective holding device and is brought by the conveyor belt in its direction of movement. Also described is a method for gutting the fish in a gutting machine.

An apparatus for weakening an attachment of a pin bone to muscle or adipose tissue in a fillet of fish. An electrode coupled to a power supply and in electrical contact with a first end of the pin bone conducts electrical current to the pin bone. The pin bone conducts the electrical current from the first end of the pin bone to a second end of the pin bone. The pin bone has an electrical current resistivity which causes Joule heating that produces sufficient heat in the connective tissue that attaches the pin bone to the muscle or adipose tissue in the fillet of fish to degrade or denature the connective tissue and thereby weaken the attachment of the pin bone to the muscle or adipose tissue.