A method is provided of pressing an irregularly shaped, elongated loaf of an elastic material into a strand with a cross-section which is constant along its longitudinal extension. The method includes disposing the loaf in a form tube of the slicing machine, and determining basic data of the loaf before pressing, the basic data comprising at least physical basic data of the loaf before pressing. The method further includes determining a target length change of the loaf between an unpressed state and a pressed state, determining a target cross-sectional change of the loaf between the unpressed state and the pressed state, and pressing the loaf in the form tube in at least one cross direction to the longitudinal extension by a cross press stamp and in a longitudinal pressing direction of the form tube by a longitudinal press stamp, according to the target length change and the target cross-sectional change.

A method of estimating weight of food objects, includes training an artificial neural network software module, and using the trained artificial neural network software module to provide a weight correlated data estimate for said food object based on a three-dimensional image of the food object

The present invention relates to a fixed-quantity meat slicer for chilled meat, comprising: a meat loading part having a loading groove on which meat is loaded; a meat pressing part which is disposed on the upper side of the meat loading part, and which presses the meat in a vertical direction during downward movement; a horizontal driving part disposed at one side of the meat loading part so as to press the meat in a horizontal direction; a flange disposed on the other side of the meat loading part so as to form an outlet through which the meat is exposed to the outside according to the forward movement of the horizontal driving part; a restriction cover which is hinge-driven so as to open or close the outlet of the flange, and which prevents the forward movement of the meat when the outlet is closed; a cutter for cutting the meat that moves forward out of the outlet of the flange; and an input part for inputting meat cutting information.

A method for formatting food products on a conveyor device includes a) receiving the food products in a plurality of parallel conveyor tracks, some of which include product gaps; b) outputting the food products into the parallel conveyor tracks in a specific product format; c) detecting the product supply in the conveyor tracks incoming on the input side individually for each of the conveyor tracks; and d) filling the product gaps in the conveyor tracks with food products, so that on the output side all of the parallel conveyor tracks are supplied with the food products. The product gaps are also filled with food products from a product buffer in that at least one of the food products is transferred from the product buffer to the conveyor track only when an odd number of product gaps exist in one of the conveyor tracks.

In order to avoid underweight of slices when slicing a loaf into slices, thickness adjustments specified for slicing are adjusted depending on different pre-known parameters, from loaf to loaf and/or from slice to slice within one and the same loaf, preferably also across the boundary between two loaves optimized as early as possible so that existing weight conditions with regard to actual weight of the slices are maintained, in particular no more underweight slices are produced and/or the minimum average weight of the slices required for the entire batch is maintained.

A method for slicing meat loafs that have a cross section that varies across their longitudinal extension into accurately weighted slices, that includes the steps of bringing the loaf into a defined shape with a uniform cross section across its length inside a forming tube by pressing the loaf before it is sliced. The pressing is performed in a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction relative to the loaf in a predefined order and in particular in multiple pressing steps. The pressing may also comprise pressure relieving strokes for the purpose of reducing the force exertion for pressing, and for keeping the tissue structure of the loaf intact.

A cutting apparatus for cutting off or slicing meat products, in particular bacon or fresh meat products, comprises a product feed that is configured to guide at least one first product and at least one second product simultaneously into a cutting region, which includes a first rotating blade and a second rotating blade for cutting off or slicing the products into smaller pieces. In this respect, the product feed has a first conveying means for guiding the at least one first product into the cutting region and a second conveying means for guiding the at least one second product into the cutting region, wherein the first blade is associated with the first conveying means and is provided for cutting off or slicing the at least one first product, and wherein the second blade is associated with the second conveying means and is provided for cutting off or slicing the at least one second product.

A food processing attachment for a food processing device includes a rotational adapter configured to be selectively coupled with a drive system of the food processing device. A food holder is coupled to the rotational adapter and having a base, wherein the food holder is selectively rotated by the rotational adapter. A central spear extends perpendicularly from a center of the base. A plurality of radial flanges extend perpendicularly from the base, wherein each radial flange of the plurality of flanges is discontinuous with the other radial flanges, wherein the central spear and the plurality of radial flanges are adapted to secure a food item in a processing space and in communication with the rotational adapter. A blade is coupled to an operable carriage and is adapted to selectively engage the food item within the processing space to remove at least a portion of the food item.

A cutting apparatus for cutting off or slicing meat products, in particular bacon or fresh meat products, comprises a product feed that is configured to guide at least one first product and at least one second product simultaneously into a cutting region, which includes a first rotating blade and a second rotating blade for cutting off or slicing the products into smaller pieces. In this respect, the product feed has a first conveying means for guiding the at least one first product into the cutting region and a second conveying means for guiding the at least one second product into the cutting region, wherein the first blade is associated with the first conveying means and is provided for cutting off or slicing the at least one first product, and wherein the second blade is associated with the second conveying means and is provided for cutting off or slicing the at least one second product.

A method of using a conveyor device is provided for conveying food products in stacks or interleaved units made of a plurality of slices of cheese or meat products. The method formats the food products in a specific product format on a plurality of parallel conveyor tracks, and fills a product gap on one of the plurality of parallel conveyor tracks incoming on the input side with a food product so that on the output side all parallel conveyor tracks are supplied with the food products.