A method for pitting and re-pitting fruit halves, in particular peach halves, has steps of lifting fruit halves from a loading area to a feeding zone, feeding the fruit halves to an advancing lane, moving the fruit halves forward, detecting the supporting condition of each fruit half and a presence of pit or pit fragments, if any, assessing the supporting condition as correct or incorrect, communicating the presence of pit or pit fragments, if any, in the fruit half, pit removing, if any, delivering the fruit halves to their further treatment or bringing them back to the step of lifting the fruit halves, in case their supporting condition is assessed as incorrect. There is disclosed a multi-lane machine having a detecting station (9), a control unit (10), communication means for sending information to a cutting station (8) and to a separating station (13) for delivering the fruit halves to their further treatment or to the loading area of the machine.

Systems and methods are provided for separating seed from wet material. The method includes aerating raw, wet material comprising seed to provide an aerated material and aspirating the aerated material. The aspirating separates seed from liftings of the aerated material, and the separated seed can then be recovered.

Systems and methods are provided for separating seed from wet material. The method includes aerating raw, wet material comprising seed to provide an aerated material and aspirating the aerated material. The aspirating separates seed from liftings of the aerated material, and the separated seed can then be recovered.

A machine for removing the calyces from the seed of a sorrel bud includes a smooth surfaced return drum rotatably mounted to a frame and a cutting drum rotatable about a cutting drum axle and mounted to the frame in a tandem relationship with the return drum. The cutting drum has a plurality of circumferential blades oriented perpendicular to the cutting drum axle and are substantially equally spaced one from another. The cutting drum in combination with the return drum defines a throat therebetween for receiving sorrel buds. A drive simultaneously rotates the return drum and the cutting drum to cut calyces from the seed of the sorrel bud.

A machine for removing the calyces from the seed of a sorrel bud includes a smooth surfaced return drum rotatably mounted to a frame and a cutting drum rotatable about a cutting drum axle and mounted to the frame in a tandem relationship with the return drum. The cutting drum has a plurality of circumferential blades oriented perpendicular to the cutting drum axle and are substantially equally spaced one from another. The cutting drum in combination with the return drum defines a throat therebetween for receiving sorrel buds. A drive simultaneously rotates the return drum and the cutting drum to cut calyces from the seed of the sorrel bud.