An apparatus for chilling protein products consists of a container including a processing chamber therein for receiving protein products in the processing chamber; and a processing atmosphere in the processing chamber, the processing atmosphere including a transport vacuum and a chilling substance for application to the protein products. A method for chilling protein products is also provided which consists of receiving protein products in a processing chamber of a container; and providing a vacuum and a chilling substance to the processing chamber for providing a processing atmosphere to chill the protein products therein.

The present invention relates to a method to treat insects in order to produce a human nutrition and/or an animal feed. The treatment involves at reducing and preferably stopping the autolysis of the insects, preferably using a cooling treatment step. The present invention further relates to a line to process insects.

The present invention relates to a method to treat insects in order to produce a human nutrition and/or an animal feed. The treatment involves at reducing and preferably stopping the autolysis of the insects, preferably using a cooling treatment step. The present invention further relates to a line to process insects.

A method for the separation of fat from meat. The method includes providing individual pieces of meat containing lean and fat; subjecting the individual pieces of meat to cooling for a time sufficient to produce a difference in temperature between the fat and lean, wherein the fat is cooled such that the fat is friable and crumbles into finer particulates when subjected to a crushing force and the lean is cooled to a higher temperature than the fat and the lean is able to withstand a similar crushing force without substantially crumbling into smaller particulates; and with the fat and lean at the temperatures produced, subjecting the individual pieces of meat to a crushing force to separate particulates of fat from the individual pieces of meat.

A method for the separation of fat from meat. The method includes providing individual pieces of meat containing lean and fat; subjecting the individual pieces of meat to cooling for a time sufficient to produce a difference in temperature between the fat and lean, wherein the fat is cooled such that the fat is friable and crumbles into finer particulates when subjected to a crushing force and the lean is cooled to a higher temperature than the fat and the lean is able to withstand a similar crushing force without substantially crumbling into smaller particulates; and with the fat and lean at the temperatures produced, subjecting the individual pieces of meat to a crushing force to separate particulates of fat from the individual pieces of meat.

A method for producing frozen fresh plants/animals or portions thereof includes the steps of: producing an ice slurry by mixing ice generated by freezing salt water having a salt concentration of from 13. 6% to 23 .1% and salt water having a salt concentration of from 13. 6% to 23.1%, and instantaneously freezing fresh plants/animals or portions thereof by immersing the fresh plants/animals or portions thereof in the ice slurry.

A method for producing frozen fresh plants/animals or portions thereof includes the steps of: producing an ice slurry by mixing ice generated by freezing salt water having a salt concentration of from 13. 6% to 23 .1% and salt water having a salt concentration of from 13. 6% to 23.1%, and instantaneously freezing fresh plants/animals or portions thereof by immersing the fresh plants/animals or portions thereof in the ice slurry.

Provided is a means for easily producing a plurality of types of flake ice each having a different freezing point and approximately uniform solute concentration. There is provides a flake ice production device. A drum includes an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder surrounding the inner cylinder, and a clearance formed between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder. A refrigerant supply unit supplies a refrigerant to the clearance. A rotary shaft rotates taking a central axis of the drum as an axis. An injection unit rotates together with the rotary shaft and sprays brine toward the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder. A scraping unit scrapes off flake ice that is generated as a result of brine having been sprayed from the injection unit becoming attached to the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder, which has been cooled by the refrigerant supplied to the clearance.

Provided is a means for easily producing a plurality of types of flake ice each having a different freezing point and approximately uniform solute concentration. There is provides a flake ice production device. A drum includes an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder surrounding the inner cylinder, and a clearance formed between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder. A refrigerant supply unit supplies a refrigerant to the clearance. A rotary shaft rotates taking a central axis of the drum as an axis. An injection unit rotates together with the rotary shaft and sprays brine toward the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder. A scraping unit scrapes off flake ice that is generated as a result of brine having been sprayed from the injection unit becoming attached to the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder, which has been cooled by the refrigerant supplied to the clearance.

The present invention has for its object to provide a simple technology capable of preserving sea foods, crustaceans or the like without decomposition over an extended period of time. As shown in FIG. 3, a sheet carrying calcium oxide powders and/or calcium hydroxide powders is laid down on the bottom of an enclosure while crustaceans or sea foods are placed on the top surface of the sheet, and water is then filled up within the enclosure. It is preferable that after the water is filled up within the enclosure, the sheet and the sea foods/crustaceans, etc. are frozen by rapid cooling to create an ice body including them for storage.