A meat processing apparatus has an automated analysis stage for analysing meat parts with penetrating radiation. Data is generated for sue in both feedforward and feedback information, and may be used for robotic control of trimming and boning operations. There is a radiation-shielded chamber within which there is a tomography scanner with a scanner controller, arranged to perform analysis of meat parts. A port is used for entry and exit of meat parts placed in carriers into and out of the chamber for analysis by the scanner, and a handling system performs automated movement of the carriers between the port and the scanner. The port has an interlock chamber, having an inner door and an outer door and a controller to ensure that while the scanner is operating only one door can open. The meat parts are inspected automatically by an inspection station and a controller of the inspection station feeds forward data which is used by the scanner controller to control scanner operation according to meat part physical attributes.

A system for processing meat pieces includes a radiation inspection apparatus configured to receive a primary stream of meat pieces conveyed by a conveyor and to detect trim products containing undesired objects; a reject device; a control unit configured to operate the reject device using the detected undesired objects as an operation parameter such that the meat pieces containing the undesired objects are separated from the primary stream of trim products; an object remover configured to remove the undesired objects from the meat pieces separated from the primary stream of trim products; and a recirculation apparatus configured to receive the meat pieces after undergoing the object remover and recirculate it as a secondary stream into the radiation inspection apparatus. The secondary stream is separated from the primary stream, and the radiation inspection is configured to detect whether any remaining undesired objects are in the secondary stream.

Disclosed is a conveyor system including a first conveyor leading to an inspection point, the first conveyor including a diversion mechanism configured to divert an object based on failing to meet an inspection parameter. The system includes a second conveyor configured to transport a container configured to receive the object from the diversion mechanism. A control module is configured to co-register an image of the object captured at the inspection point with container ID data of the container.

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to ensuring quality of meat cuts. In some embodiments, a system for ensuring quality of meat cuts comprises a capture device comprising an image capture device configured to capture an image of a cut of meat, a depth sensor configured to capture depth data, a transceiver configured to transmit the image and the depth data, a microcontroller configured to control the image capture device, the depth sensor, and the transceiver, a database configured to store meat cut specifications, and the control circuit configured to receive, from the capture device, the image and the depth data, retrieve, from the database, a meat cut specification, evaluate the image of the cut of meat and the depth data associated with the cut of meat, and classify the cut of meat.

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to ensuring quality of meat cuts. In some embodiments, a system for ensuring quality of meat cuts comprises a capture device comprising an image capture device configured to capture an image of a cut of meat, a depth sensor configured to capture depth data, a transceiver configured to transmit the image and the depth data, a microcontroller configured to control the image capture device, the depth sensor, and the transceiver, a database configured to store meat cut specifications, and the control circuit configured to receive, from the capture device, the image and the depth data, retrieve, from the database, a meat cut specification, evaluate the image of the cut of meat and the depth data associated with the cut of meat, and classify the cut of meat.

In a method for processing products, in particular for processing fresh meat, in a processing line comprising a plurality of work stations, the products are transported along a transport path on one track or multiple tracks from work station to work station and at least one parameter is determined at at least one work station and is considered at another position of the processing line.

A method for processing food products (12) includes transporting the food products by a first conveyor (11), an X-ray unit (13) positioned between the intake end and the discharge end of the first conveyor to acquire a first set of product-specific data relating to the food product transported. At least one first optical camera (17), assigned to the first conveyor, is used to acquire a second set of product-specific data relating to the food product. A control unit (18) is used to receive and integrate the first and second data sets to analyze the composition of the food product and determine parameters for the food product. Based on the determined parameters of the food product, the food product is cut with a cutting unit, under the control of the control unit.

A poultry part harvesting, sorting, and packaging apparatus and system utilizes an arrangement of hoppers to batch poultry parts removed by cut-up machines and deposits the batches onto a transportation conveyor. Each batch is contained within a separate zone on the conveyor, and the system tracks the location of batches and open spaces on the conveyor to deliver the batches to user defined locations.

A method for evaluating (50) the health state of an anatomical element of an animal in a slaughtering plant provided with an image acquisition device. The evaluation method comprises the steps of: verifying the presence of the anatomical element; acquiring the image of the anatomical element; processing (S4) the image of the anatomical element through Deep Learning techniques, generating a lesion image representing lesioned portions of the anatomical element, and a number of processed images, each representing a corresponding non-lesioned anatomical area of the animal; for each of the lesioned portions and for each of the non-lesioned anatomical areas, determining a corresponding quantity indicative of the probability that said lesioned portion corresponds to said non-lesioned anatomical area; determining a score indicative of the health state of the anatomical element, depending on the determined quantities.

Apparatus and methods for deheading and peeling shrimp hydraulically using the Venturi Effect. A shrimp-laden fluid is pumped through a conduit system including one or more venturi tubes. The acceleration of the fluid through the venturis detaches the heads and loosens or detaches the shells from the shrimp. The venturis may be used in conjunction with a roller peeler to increase peeling quality. An inspection station receives shrimp from the roller peeler and directs incompletely peeled shrimp back to the peeler or one or more of the venturis.