An injection machine includes a needle assembly including a plurality of injector needles arranged into a pattern to cover a horizontal injection area, the injector needles include side exit ports located proximally with respect to a tip of the needle. The injection machine also includes a conveyor positioned below the needle assembly. Particularly, the conveyor includes perforations on a top surface of the conveyor, wherein the perforations allow the plurality of injector needles to be lowered to place the side exit ports of the injector needles at or just above the top surface of the conveyor.

This invention is in the field of meat processing and contemplates curing compositions and methods of use thereof. The invention also contemplates methods of using the curing compositions in the processing of meat, including both pre-rigor and post-rigor meat.

A brine injection system with a plurality of needles, which are inserted into a product and through which brine is injected into the product. Brine which does not end up in the product is collected and recycled, and during recycling, the brine flows through a filter. The filter includes a filter element, along which unfiltered brine flows in a flow-direction and through which filtered brine passes and which holds back residues in the unfiltered brine. The filter element includes a multitude of slots, each with a main extension direction which extends parallel to the flow direction of the brine.

A first brine free of salt and phosphate for treating a food product by injection of the brine into the food product. The brine is formed from an emulsion consisting of water, saltless flavoring and protein. The protein is from the same type of food product as the food product being injected with the brine. A second brine especially for ham with the bine being similar to the first brine, but with a low sodium content of a maximum of 0.5% to 1.0% of the weight of the food product. A third brine for pork bellies without phosphate.

A protein composition corresponding to that of a natural pork belly is injected into a green pork belly and a standard pork belly curing brine is also injected into the pork belly. The protein composition and curing brine are injected into the pork belly in separate steps. The protein composition can be emulsified to facilitate injection into the pork belly. The injected pork belly can be massaged and then allowed to cure for a certain length of time. Thereafter, the pork belly is smoked in a standard manner and then shaped into a rectangular form for slicing into bacon.

The invention relates to an automated station for salting meat pieces in a predetermined manner, enabling a method for salting poultry meat pieces to be automated, thus increasing productivity and thereby improving safety conditions. The station comprises motorised supply means for supplying meat pieces (P) in a forward direction, handling means for handling meat pieces in order to handle the meat piece coming from the supply means, salt supply means configured to provide salt on an inner and outer area of the meat piece (P), as well as a retrieval system for retrieving salt coming from the salt supply means.

A needle cleaning system that backflushes an inner passage of needles (40) successively with a cleaning solution, such as caustic soda, pressurized air and a washing liquid. The needle cleaning machine has an airtight container (17) closed at the top by a support base (15) with holes (16) where a group of needles (40) are inserted in a position in which an upper portion of the needles, where an inlet opening is located, is outside the airtight container and a lower portion of the needles, where outlet ports are located, is inside the airtight container (17). The container (17) is connected to ducts (19, 21, 23, 25, 27) provided with valves (20, 24, 26, 28) by which the cleaning solution driven by a pump (29), the pressurized air (23) and the washing liquid (25) are supplied to the containers (17).

A needle register for injection apparatus for injecting liquid into food products, comprising: a needle carrier (10) forming a distribution chamber (16) for the liquid; a plurality of parallel hollow needles (12) which are held on the needle carrier (10) such that their open top ends are disposed inside the distribution chamber (16); and at least one perforated plate (30) that is removably received in the distribution chamber (16), a plurality of the needles (12) being held in the perforations of the perforated plate, characterized in that the needles (12) are firmly fitted into the perforations of the perforated plate (30).

A brine for injecting into whole poultry is composed of substrate poultry meat which has been emulsified. The substrate poultry meat may consist of white meat, dark meat, or a combination of white meat and dark meat in proportion to their natural occurrence in the poultry. The poultry substrate for the brine may also include fat and skin from the poultry, optionally in proportion to their presence in the poultry. The emulsified brine composed of poultry substrate components is injected into whole poultry birds utilizing unique injection needles wherein the inlet side ports of the hollow needles are beveled or flared or curved or rounded. Such beveling or flaring or rounding or curving extends outwardly in the direction of the inlet port extending outwardly from the hollow interior of the needle.

A process of making ham is disclosed herein, which includes injecting at least a whole piece of raw meat with an essentially nitrite-free mixture comprising water and salt, at least a polyphenol, and optionally an acidulant, followed by further processing steps, namely tenderization, churning, molding and cooking, to thereby obtain an essentially nitrite-free ham, whose color and microbiological stability are comparable to those of a corresponding ham obtained with a conventional process using nitrites as preservatives.