Method And An Apparatus For Thawing Frozen Meat

Abstract

The invention comprises a method of thawing meat frozen in meat blocks ( 1 ) and comprising an apparatus for initial separation of the meat block ( 1 ) before the meat block ( 1 ) is placed in a rotating container ( 7 ), the meat block ( 1 ) being subjected to pressure before treated in the rotating container ( 7 ), said pressure initiating a separation process of the meat block ( 1 ) into individual pieces ( 2 ). This pressure may be applied over the diagonals of the meat block ( 1 ). The invention also comprises an apparatus for performing the method, said apparatus comprising a number of pistons ( 3, 4, 5, 6 ) which either cooperate in pairs or cooperate with a firm opposite face for applying pressure to the meat block ( 1 ). The faces of the pistons ( 3, 4, 5, 6 ) may be plane, or they may comprise elevations or depressions as well as adapted to act over at least one of the diagonals of the meat block ( 1 ).

1 . An apparatus for performing a method of thawing pieces of meat frozen in meat blocks, the apparatus performing an initial separation of the meat block before the meat block is placed in a rotating container, the apparatus comprising a number of pistons ( 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ) which either cooperate in pairs or cooperate with a firm opposite face for applying pressure to the meat block ( 1 ). 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the pistons ( 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ) have planar faces facing toward the meat block ( 1 ). 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the pistons ( 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ) have faces having elevations or depressions facing toward the meat block ( 1 ). 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the pistons ( 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ) have an outwardly inclined elevation in at least one corner facing toward the meat block ( 1 ). 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the pistons ( 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ) have depressions to receive corners of the meat block ( 1 ) facing toward the meat block ( 1 ). 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the pistons ( 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ) are positioned for applying the pressure to the meat block ( 1 ) over a diagonal or diagonals of the meat block ( 1 ). 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising means for detecting pieces of metal in the meat. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7  further comprising means for removing pieces of metal from the meat.