A molding and cooking apparatus for pieces of stuffed product such as cooked hams, which includes one or more molding cavities long enough so that more than one piece of stuffed product can be introduced in the same molding cavity, inserting separators which help to shape the ends of the pieces of vacuum stuffed product, both ends of the cavities are open and are sealed during product cooking, which permits a quick discharge of the already cooked and cooled pieces when the cavities bottoms are unsealed, and permits the product to fall because of gravity onto a collecting tray, likewise a procedure is revealed on the efficient use of this apparatus herein disclosed.

The invention relates to a device and a method that can be carried out using said device, for producing meat products using pieces of raw meat that are joined together and subsequently cooked and/or that absorb a liquid composition. The device has working surfaces that encompass an inner volume, at least one of said working surfaces having a drive for back-and-forth motion and for pressing the at least one working surface against pieces of raw meat situated in the inner volume that is encompassed by the working surfaces.

The present disclosure describes an ultrasonic rotary molding system that is used to form edible compositions or food products as they move along a conveyor belt. The food products are formed by an ultrasonic rotary wheel that includes one or more cutting tools that cut, and perhaps three dimensionally mold, food product strips. The system may include a movable backing plate that is located below the point where the ultrasonic rotary wheel cuts the food product strips. The movable backing plate may be spring loaded and it may exert force upwards against the conveyor belt and in turn against the food product.

A food processing apparatus for processing food products, in particular meat products, includes a press for pressing the food products with specific pressing parameters and a control unit which is connected on its output side to the press and sets the pressing parameters. A first analyzing device for analyzing the food products before pressing and for generating corresponding first analysis parameters of the food products is provided. The first analysis parameters represent product properties of the analyzed food product. The control unit is connected to the first analyzing device and sets the pressing parameters depending on the first analysis parameters.

A cold forming process for forming a meat patty includes heating a ground meat product to a temperature T.sub.1, wherein T.sub.140 F. The ground meat product is formed into an uncooked patty at temperature T.sub.1. The uncooked patty is precooked to form a precooked patty having a skin of depth D comprising denatured protein. The skin is formed on at least an area on the outside of the precooked patty. At least a first portion of the meat product disposed beneath said skin is at approximately T.sub.1. The precooked patty is cooked to form a cooked patty, wherein said at least a first portion of the meat product is at a temperature T.sub.2. The cooked patty is then frozen and then packaged.

A pressing device for pressing meat products, in particular frozen and/or partly frozen meat products, preferably fresh meat products and/or bacon, comprises a pressing chamber. The pressing chamber comprises a counter-element and a pressing member that is movable by a drive, wherein the pressing member can be moved from a starting position towards the counter-element into an end position in order to compress the product, and wherein the drive is configured to drive at least one eccentric cam, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, in order to move the pressing member from the starting position into the end position, wherein the pressing member can be moved from the starting position into the end position by a rotation of the eccentric cam of more than 90 degrees.

A pressing device for pressing meat products, in particular frozen and/or partly frozen meat products, preferably fresh meat products and/or bacon, comprises a pressing chamber. The pressing chamber comprises a counter-element and a pressing member that is movable by a drive, wherein the pressing member can be moved from a starting position towards the counter-element into an end position in order to compress the product, and wherein the drive is configured to drive at least one eccentric cam, which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, in order to move the pressing member from the starting position into the end position, wherein the pressing member can be moved from the starting position into the end position by a rotation of the eccentric cam of more than 90 degrees.