The invention relates to a system for forming all variants of hamburger steaks (10), without being dedicated to a single variant, from a mass of meat (V) comprising a mold (12) including at least one cavity (140) for forming hamburger steak and a channel (3) for supplying the meat mass to the mold, and an element (20) for forming an interface between the supply channel and the mold. Said interface element includes: a pipe length (24, 25) having a first end (241) connected to an outlet of the supply channel and an opposite second end (201) connected to an inlet of the mold; a grinding plate (28, 48), and means (242, 251) for holding the grinding plate in a cross section of the pipe length, the holding means being discretely distributed along the pipe length.

Provided is an apparatus and a method for producing a mix of a first type of food products and a second type of food products that fulfills at least two target criteria including a desired weight ratio between the first and second type of food products and a lean/fat ratio of the mix. At least three controllable in-feed channels at an in-feed end of a conveyor supply separate streams of the first and second food products. One of the in-feed channels supplies the first type of food products and two of the in-feed channels supply a second type of food products being distinguished via a different lean/fat ratio estimate. The determined weight of food products and the measured lean/fat ratio of the food products are used as operation parameters so that the mix fulfills the at least two target criteria.

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.

The present disclosure describes a meat grinder. The meat grinder includes a housing; a drive unit mounted in the housing, the drive unit including a motor; a screw conveyor including a barrel fixed relative to the housing, and an auger located within the barrel and operatively connected with the motor; a hollow feed chute having upper and lower ends, the lower end mounted on and configured to feed into the barrel; and a feed tray mounted on the upper end of the feed chute, the feed tray including an opening in communication with the upper end of the feed chute. The feed chute includes an inlet section of a first inner diameter that includes the upper end, a feed section of a second inner diameter that includes the lower end, the second diameter being less than the first diameter, and a funneled section between the inlet section and the feed section.

A food processing device includes a feeding structure arranged for the transport of food objects downstream from an inlet to an outflow of a flow path. The feeding structure has a first feeder with a transport auger arranged upstream a knife, and a second feeder arranged downstream a knife, a knife configured to cut the food objects in the flow path to provide a substance of sliced lumps. The flow path defines an unhindered passage between the knife and the outflow to facilitate a free flow of the substance of sliced lumps away from the knife. An inspection unit is configured to detect undesired objects in the substance of sliced lumps. The food object could be meat, fruit, or vegetables. The processing device provides an unhindered flow of the sliced lumps away from the knife, facilitating an easier inspection and removal of undesired objects from the lumps.

A grinding machine includes first feed screw, first head, first center pin, first knife assembly, bushing and first orifice plate. Second feed screw is coupled to first center pin and rotates within second head. Second feed screw is positioned against the bushing such that the bushing acts as a thrust bearing. Second center pin is coupled to second feed screw and is configured to rotate a second knife assembly. Second orifice plate is arranged on second center pin. Second mounting ring can be linearly adjusted relative to second head to axially position second orifice plate between a stop shoulder of second head and a lip of second mounting ring. Second feed screw may include a plurality of flights arranged in a split flight configuration including one or more ingress end flights and one or more egress end flights.

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 crushing machine for a vegetable food product frozen in blocks, or in IQF form, the machine having a box-like body defining a crushing chamber. The box-like body has an inlet port through which the frozen food product is put in the crushing chamber, and an outlet port through which a frozen crushed product is discharged from the crushing chamber. In the crushing chamber a crushing unit is mounted, having a plurality of crushing rollers, each of which is arranged to rotate about a rotation axis and has, peripherally, teeth arranged to cut the frozen product into blocks, or IQF form, for splitting it into the above described fragments of predetermined size. The rotation axes of the crushing rollers are parallel to each other. The outlet port is associated with a distribution valve arranged to adjust the amount of crushed product discharged from the machine through the outlet port.

A processing apparatus for food or the like includes a worm for conveying food, and a worm housing including a worm chamber for receiving the worm. The worm housing includes a displacement component which is movable between a closed position in which the displacement component forms part of a boundary of the worm chamber, and an open position in which the displacement component clears access to the worm chamber.

A meat grinding reclamation system is disclosed herein. The system uses a first meat grinder coaxially coupled to a second meat grinder. The first meat grinder separates meat from undesired material such as gristle, hard fat, connective tissue, sinew, and bone. Most of the meat is ground, while the undesired material is remixed into a small portion of the meat and is moved from the first grinder into the second grinder. The second grinder separates remaining meat and carrier meat from the undesired material, grinding the reclaimed meat and moving it into a bin with the originally separated meat. The waste material is moved to a waste bin. Pressurized air may be used to prevent the waste material from becoming clogged in the system.