Method of separating meat components via centrifuge

Abstract

A method for separating fat from lean. The method includes grinding chilled beef comprising fat and lean into a size resulting in particles that comprise predominantly fat and particles that comprise predominantly lean; combining the particles with a fluid to produce a mixture, wherein the fluid comprises water; and centrifuging the mixture to separate the fluid, and the particles comprising predominantly lean from the mixture.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A method for separating fat from lean, comprising:
 grinding chilled beef comprising fat and lean into a size resulting in particles that comprise predominantly fat and particles that comprise predominantly lean;   combining the particles with a fluid to produce a mixture, wherein the fluid comprises water; and   centrifuging the mixture to separate the fluid and the particles comprising predominantly lean from the mixture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising collecting the fluid, and introducing the collected fluid into the mixture prior to centrifuging. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises an acid. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the acid is carbonic acid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises chlorine dioxide. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particle size is in a range of 1/16 to ¼. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising separating the particles comprising predominantly fat. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the beef is chilled prior to grinding.