Separation of fatty materials to produce lean meat products

Abstract

A method and apparatus for separating lean meat and/or fat from lean meat-containing material, including combining a particulate material with fluid carbon dioxide. The material and fluid is introduced into a vessel and is separated into low density and high density fractions. The material from the low density fraction is removed via an outlet and has a higher percentage of fat than the material introduced into the vessel. The material from the high density fraction is removed via an outlet and has a higher percentage of lean meat than the material introduced into the vessel. The vessel can include a centrifuge bowl or an inclined vessel. Separation is achieved via gravity or the application of an artificial force field, such as centrifugal force, to separate particulates high in density from those low in density.

1 . A method for separating fat from fat-containing beef, comprising:
 reducing the fat-containing beef into particulates that are substantially lean beef or substantially fat;   combining the particulates with a fluid comprising water;   collecting the particulates that are substantially fat in a first conduit;   collecting the particulates that are substantially lean beef in a second conduit that is lower in elevation compared to the first conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second conduits are tubes. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the first conduit is connected to the top of the second conduit via a connecting conduit, and allowing particulates that are substantially lean beef to descend from the first conduit to the second conduit through the connecting conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting conduit is a tube. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the first conduit is connected to the top of the second conduit via a connecting conduit, and allowing particulates that are substantially fat to rise from the second conduit to the first conduit through the connecting conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the first conduit is connected to the top of the second conduit through more than one connecting conduits. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding a salt or acid to the fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the density of the fluid is about 50 lbs./cu. ft. to about 65 lbs./cu. ft. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the density of the fluid is about 53 lbs./cu. ft. to 62 lbs./cu. ft. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the density of the fluid is about 55 lbs./cu. ft. to about 60 lbs./cu. ft. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the density of the fluid is about 57 lbs./cu. ft. to 59 lbs./cu. ft. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising separating fluid from the particulates that are substantially fat and the particulates that are substantially lean beef. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising processing the particulates that are substantially fat to reduce the particulates to oil and solid materials, and separating the oil from the solid materials. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising processing the particulates that are substantially fat to reduce the particulates to oil and solid materials, and heating the oil. 
     
     
         15 . A separator comprising fluid and particulates comprising substantially fat and particulates comprising substantially lean beef, comprising:
 a first tube comprising fluid and particulates comprising substantially fat;   a second tube comprising fluid and particulates comprising substantially lean beef; and   more than one connecting tube that connects the bottom of the first tube to the top of the second tube, wherein the connecting conduit comprises at least fluid.   
     
     
         16 . The separator of  claim 15 , wherein the second tube is substantially parallel to the first tube. 
     
     
         17 . The separator of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second tubes include an inclined portion greater than 0° to 90° from the ground plane. 
     
     
         18 . The separator of  claim 15 , wherein the fluid further comprises water.