A freezer includes a grinder to obtain a ground meat; a mixer to add fat to the ground meat; a payload bay to receive the ground meat; a plurality of evaporators coupled to the payload bay with a multiplicity of coolant tubes in each evaporator, wherein each tube enters and then exits the payload bay, further comprising one or more cryogenic valves coupled to the coolant tubes; a pump to force coolant flowing through the evaporators; and a processor with code for: chopping the ground meat and during chopping, adding salt and ice to the ground meat being chopped and adding liquid nitrogen to maintain the temperature of the meat being chopped below 5 C. to obtain a chopped meat product; adding fat to the chopped meat product and then chopping the fat and adding liquid nitrogen to maintain the temperature of the chopped meat product and fat being chopped between 1 C. and 10 C. to obtain a chopped meat and fat product, wherein the ground meat, added fat, ice and salt are present in amounts so that the chopped meat and fat product has a fat content of from 1% to 20% by weight based upon the weight of the chopped meat and fat product.

A conveyor apparatus for conveying and processing foodstuffs such as meat is provided. The conveyor apparatus includes a filling device, a mincer which can be coupled to the filling device and having an inlet and an outlet, a closure element which can be mounted to the outlet, a signaling device associated with the closure element, and at least one signal line device for the transmission of signals of the signaling device from the closure element to the filling device. The provision of the signaling device and the signal line device allows for prevention of operation of the cutting elements of the mincer when the closure element is not detected to be in a closed position, thereby making maintenance and repair safer to conduct. A method of conveying foodstuffs in accordance with the apparatus is also provided.

A disgregating device of biological material, comprising: a hollow outer body, defining an inner chamber; a fixed disgregating grid, having a plurality of microholes provided with sharp edges, and housed transversely in the inner chamber so as to define an upper loading chamber apt to be loaded with the biological material to be disgregated and a lower collecting chamber apt to collect the biological material, after it has been disgregated; and a bladed rotor, rotating in the inner chamber, apt to co-operate, rotating, with the fixed disgregating grid, so as to feed and bring the biological material, contained in the upper loading chamber, into contact with the microholes of the disgregating grid and therefore cause the disgregation of the biological material making it pass through these microholes.

A disgregating device of biological material, comprising: a hollow outer body, defining an inner chamber; a fixed disgregating grid, having a plurality of microholes provided with sharp edges, and housed transversely in the inner chamber so as to define an upper loading chamber apt to be loaded with the biological material to be disgregated and a lower collecting chamber apt to collect the biological material, after it has been disgregated; and a bladed rotor, rotating in the inner chamber, apt to co-operate, rotating, with the fixed disgregating grid, so as to feed and bring the biological material, contained in the upper loading chamber, into contact with the microholes of the disgregating grid and therefore cause the disgregation of the biological material making it pass through these microholes.

A viscous food product dispensing system having a transport section for receiving a particulate food product from a bin, an auger for processing and conveying the received particulate food product from the transport section into an outlet adapter via one or more flutes, a milling device housed in the outlet adapter, and a discharge nozzle in the outlet adapter that pinches off the viscous food product created by the milling device. The auger has a unique design that allows it to engage and break whole nuts.

An emulsion system is provided. The system includes a shaft that supports a plurality of cutting assemblies and screens in alternating order, wherein the cutting assembly rotates with respect to an in close proximity to the screen. The cutting assemblies include a plurality of cutting elements that extend radially outward from a hub and are positioned at consistent radial spacing along the perimeter of the hub. Each cutting element includes front and back edges that cut food particles in conjunction with holes within the screen, wherein the front and back edges are substantially perpendicular.

A system 400 for obtaining a substance from a commodity has a first apparatus 420 with first 422 and second 424 openings, a device 426 for moving the commodity through the first apparatus, and at least one blade 428 for shearing the commodity. The at least one blade 428 is positioned between the first opening 422 and the second opening 424. A second apparatus 440 has a first opening 442 and a second opening 444, with the first opening 442 being fluidly connected to the second opening 424 of the first apparatus 420. The second apparatus 440 includes a device 446 for moving the sheared commodity from the second apparatus first opening 442 to the second opening 444. A third apparatus 460 obtains the substance from the sheared commodity, including a separator 460 having a first opening 462 fluidly connected to the second opening 444 of the second apparatus 440.

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.

A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is positioned downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw positioned within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material. Soft material is discharged through perforations in the separator chamber and hard material is discharged through a discharge of the separator chamber.

A grinding machine for grinding foodstuffs, such as meat or the like, includes an orifice plate at the outlet of a grinding head. The orifice plate has collection passages that discharge a mixture of soft material and hard material through the orifice plate. A separator assembly is positioned downstream of the orifice plate for separating the soft material from the hard material. The separator assembly includes a separator chamber that receives the mixture of soft material and hard material, in combination with a rotatable separator screw positioned within the separator chamber. Rotation of the separator screw functions to separate the soft material from the hard material. Soft material is discharged through perforations in the separator chamber and hard material is discharged through a discharge of the separator chamber.