Systems and methods for winnowing food products

A winnowing system, comprising:

• at least one exterior housing;
• at least one feed member disposed at higher elevation within the at least one exterior housing, wherein the at least one feed member has a higher feed end and a lower feed end;
• at least one feed chute connected to the lower feed end of the at least one feed member, wherein the at least one feed chute is bounded by at least one feed chute wall;
• at least one winnowing cavity disposed at an end of the at least one feed chute and opposite from the lower feed end and having a vertically oriented plate member disposed therein;
• at least one chaff chute disposed gravitationally above the at least one winnowing cavity;
• at least one selection chute disposed gravitationally below the winnowing cavity;
• and
• at least one exhausting member in fluidic communication with the at least one feed member, the at least one feed chute, the at least one winnowing cavity, the at least one chaff chute, and the at least one collection cavity;
• wherein the at least one exhausting member urges at least one fluid through the winnowing system;
• wherein the at least one selection chute and the at least one feed chute direct air flow into the winnowing cavity at a respective at least one selection chute volumetric flow rate and a respective at least one feed chute volumetric flow rate;
• wherein the at least one selection chute volumetric flow rate and the at least one feed chute volumetric flow rate sum to yield a sum volumetric flow rate of the air flowing onto the vertically oriented plate member;
• and
• wherein the air flowing onto the vertically oriented plate member repeatedly propels particles in the winnowing cavity into the vertically oriented plate member.

A winnower apparatus, comprising:

• an exterior housing;
• a material feed member having a higher end and a lower end and located substantially within the exterior housing;
• a feed chute connected to the lower end, the feed chute having a feed chute wall;
• a winnowing cavity disposed after the feed chute and opposite the lower end;
• an impact plate disposed in the winnowing cavity;
• a selection chute disposed opposite the feed chute and pneumatically connected to the winnowing cavity;
• a chaff chute disposed above the winnowing cavity;
• and
• an exhausting member in fluidic communication with the feed member, the feed chute, the winnowing cavity, the chaff chute, the selection chute, and the collection cavity;
• wherein the exhausting member urges a fluid from the feed chute and the selection chute through the winnowing cavity to winnow an initial material;
• wherein the fluid from the feed chute and the selection chute combine to repeatedly urge particles in the winnowing cavity against the impact plate to separate chaff therefrom.