PROCESSING MEAT TRIM

• US 20110062257A1
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cargill, Inc. (Agricultural Services Division)
• Original Assignee: Cargill, Inc. (Agricultural Services Division)
• Inventors: Steiner, Rudy, Gould, Stacey
• Granted Patent: US 8,584,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 241/24.26
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 17/002 Producing portions of meat with predetermined characteristics, e.g. weight or particular dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 17/008 for measuring quality, e.g. to determine further processing
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/38 Collecting or arranging articles in groups

Abstract

Meat trim portions are sorted by employing quantitative lean point analysis and one or more sorting steps. Embodiments of the present invention are adapted to make lean point determinations, to compare the determinations to one or more sorting parameters, and to direct meat trim portions to one of a plurality of containers based on the comparison. Meat trim portions from each container are subsequently processed into ground meat.

Claims

1. A method for sorting meat trim portions having a meat type and lean point, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of meat trim portions;

identifying the meat type of each meat trim portion;

determining information associated with the lean point of each meat trim portion;

comparing one or both of the meat type of each meat trim portion and the information associated with the lean point of each meat trim portion to one or both of a first group of meat types and a first group of target lean points, wherein one or both of each meat type of the first group of meat types and each target lean point of the first group of target lean points corresponds with at least one of a plurality of containers; and

depositing each meat trim portion into the container of the plurality of containers having one or both of the meat type and target lean point corresponding with one or both of the identified meat type and the determined information associated with the lean point.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a meat trim portion from a container of the plurality of containers;

measuring the lean point of a meat trim portion selected from the container of the plurality of containers;

comparing one or both of the meat type and the measured lean point to a second group of meat types and a second group of target lean points wherein each meat type of the second group of meat types and each target lean point of the second group of target lean types is associated with at least one of a plurality of combination bins; and

depositing the meat trim portion into the combination bin having one or both of the meat type and the target lean point corresponding with one or both of the identified meat type and determined lean point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining information associated with the lean point of each meat trim portion comprises estimating the lean point of each meat trim portion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining information associated with the lean point of each meat trim portion comprises measuring the lean point of each meat trim portion.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising grouping plural meat trim portions of the plurality of meat trim portions into batches of meat trim portions wherein the batches of meat trim portions comprise at least one of uniform weight, uniform volume, and uniform shape.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising determining the lean point of each batch of meat trim portions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the meat trim portions comprise one or more of meat from bovine, porcine, and bovine animals, poultry, and fish.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising processing the meat trim portions into ground meat.

9. A method for sorting meat trim portions comprising:

providing a plurality of meat trim portions;

determining the lean point of each meat trim portion;

comparing the determined lean point of each meat trim portion to a lean point target and at least one additional lean point parameter assigned to each of a plurality of combination bins; and

depositing each of the meat trim portions into the combination bin of the plurality of combination bins having the lean point target and at least one additional lean point parameters corresponding to the determined lean point of each meat trim portion.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the lean point of each meat trim portion comprises:

determining the lean point of each meat trim portion;

comparing the determined lean point to a plurality of target lean points, wherein each target lean point is associated with one of a plurality of containers;

depositing each meat trim portion into the container assigned the lean point target corresponding to the determined lean point of the each meat trim portion; and

determining the lean point of one or more meat trim portions deposited in one or more of the containers.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the lean point of each meat trim portion comprises:

identifying a meat type and estimated lean point for each meat trim portion;

comparing one or both of the estimated lean point and the meat type to one or both of a meat type and predetermined lean point target associated with each of a plurality of containers;

depositing each meat trim portion into the container having one or both of the meat type and lean point target corresponding to each meat trim portion; and

determining the lean point of one or more meat trim portions deposited in one or more of the containers.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the lean point parameters assigned to one or more combination bins change as meat trim portions are deposited into the one or more combination bins.

13. The method of claim 9, comprising grouping plural meat trim portions of the plurality of meat trim portions into batches of meat trim portions wherein the batches of meat trim portions comprise at least one of uniform weight, uniform volume, and uniform shape.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising determining the lean point of each batch of meat trim portions.

15. A system for processing meat trim portions, the system comprising:

at least one lean point analyzer configured to measure the lean point for each of a plurality of meat trim portions;

a plurality of combination bins adapted to receive meat trim portions, each combination bin associated with a plurality of predetermined lean point parameters including a lean point target and at least one additional parameter;

a conveyor for transporting meat trim portions from the at least one lean point analyzer to the plurality of combination bins along a processing direction; and

a control system configured to receive a plurality of lean point measurements from the at least one lean point analyzer, compare the lean point measurements to the predetermined lean point parameters associated with each combination bin, select a combination bin based on the comparison, and control the conveyance and deposition of meat trim portions into the selected combination bin.

16. The system of claim 15, comprising a source of meat trim portions.

17. The system of claim 15, comprising a plurality of containers distinct from the plurality of combination bins and configured to receive meat trim portions that have been presorted based on one or both of meat type and lean point.

18. The system of claim 15, comprising a meat batcher operatively positioned before the at least one lean point analyzer.

19. The system of claim 15, comprising a second lean point analyzer positioned along the process flow after the at least one lean point analyzer.

20. The system of claim 19, comprising a plurality of sorting containers positioned along the process flow between the at least one lean point analyzer and the second lean point analyzer.