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 tooling for forming patties from a food mass includes a mould cavity holder; a mould cavity arranged such that it is received in the mould cavity holder, the mould cavity being made of a material porous to a fluid and including an internal face defining a patty forming mould and an external face separated from the internal face by a body of porous material; a clamp for clamping the mould cavity in the mould cavity holder; and a seal placed between the mould cavity and one of the mould cavity holder and the clamp. The seal is arranged such that it forces a pressure fluid, brought to the external face of the body of porous material to pass therethrough to the internal face.

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.

In order to be able to insert loafs, which are pre-frozen for slicing into slices, at least lightly frozen, into a form cavity of a form tube without any problems or to manage with smaller form tube cross-sections, it is proposed, according to the disclosure, to carry out the first part of the forming of the loaf already before freezing, i.e., when inserting it into a preform. The loaf is frozen in this state, compressed in the preform, together with the preform in a freezer, then removed and fed to the final pressing in the form tube to the final pressed state.

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 which extends along a longitudinal axis and into which a product to be pressed can be inserted, wherein the pressing chamber comprises at least one counter-element and at least one contact element, which is movable in the direction of the counter-element, that cooperate such that the product inserted into the pressing chamber can be compressed between the at least one counter-element and the at least one contact element; and wherein the pressing device comprises at least one servomotor that is configured to move the at least one contact element.

In a method of pressing and processing meat products, in particular frozen and/or partly frozen meat products, preferably fresh meat products and/or bacon, the products are inserted into a pressing chamber of a pressing device and are pressed in the pressing chamber by at least one displaceable contact element, with the contact element being moved by means of a servomotor.

A tooling for forming patties from a food mass includes a mould cavity holder; a mould cavity arranged such that it is received in the mould cavity holder, the mould cavity being made of a material porous to a fluid and including an internal face defining a patty forming mould and an external face separated from the internal face by a body of porous material; a clamp for clamping the mould cavity in the mould cavity holder; and a seal placed between the mould cavity and one of the mould cavity holder and the clamp. The seal is arranged such that it forces a pressure fluid, brought to the external face of the body of porous material to pass therethrough to the internal face.

To slice meat loafs (100) with cross sections that vary across their longitudinal extension into accurately weighted slices (101), it is known to bring the loaf (100) into a defined shape with a uniform cross section across its length inside a forming tube (2) by means of pressing before it is sliced.

According to the invention, the pressing is performed in the longitudinal direction (L, 10) and the transversal direction (Q, 11) in a predefined order and in particular in multiple pressing steps (+Q, +L), which also comprise relieving strokes (Q, L) for the purpose of reducing the force exertion for pressing, on the one hand, and, on the other, for keeping the tissue structure of the loaf (100) intact.

In a method of pressing and processing meat products, in particular frozen and/or partly frozen meat products, preferably fresh meat products and/or bacon, the products are inserted into a pressing chamber of a pressing device and are pressed in the pressing chamber by at least one displaceable contact element, with the contact element being moved by means of a servomotor.

A food processing apparatus for processing food products includes a press, a control unit and an first analyzing device. The press presses the food products with specific pressing parameters. The control unit is connected to an output side of the press and sets the pressing parameters. The first analyzing device scans the food products before pressing and generates corresponding first analysis parameters of the food products which reflect product properties of the examined food product. The control unit is connected on an input side of the first analyzing device and records the first analysis parameters and sets the pressing parameters as a function of the first analysis parameters.