Movable mould member for moulding food products

A method for moulding of food products from a pumpable foodstuff mass,

• wherein use is made of an installation for moulding food products from a pumpable foodstuff mass comprising a moveable mould member having an outer surface, in operation the mould member being moved in a direction of movement,
• wherein the mould member is a rotary mould drum having an outer circumferential drum surface, defined as the outer surface, and a longitudinal drum rotation axis, in operation the drum revolving about the drum rotation axis in a direction of rotation defined as the direction of movement,
• wherein the mould member has, in the outer surface, multiple recessed mould cavities, each mould cavity defining a shape of the product, which is to be moulded, the mould cavities each having an opening in the outer mould member surface for introduction of foodstuff mass into the mould cavity and for ejection of the moulded product, the mould member having at least one permeable mould body comprising:
• an outer surface forming at least part of the outer mould member surface, which outer surface of the permeable mould body is fluid tight;
• one or more of the mould cavities,
• a permeable volume comprising fine openings opening out at the one or more mould cavities,
• such that each mould cavity of the permeable mould body is delimited at least in part by a permeable volume,
• the mould member further comprising, for each group of mould cavities from which food products are to be ejected simultaneously:
• at least one ejection fluid inlet allowing entry of pressurized fluid,
• one or more channels extending from the at least one associated ejection fluid inlet to the one or more permeable volumes of the group of mould cavities, and
• the one or more channels providing communication from the at least one associated ejection fluid inlet via the channels and via the permeable volumes into the mould cavities to assist in ejection of the moulded products from the group of mould cavities,
• wherein, a position of the mould member in which foodstuff mass is introduced into the mould cavity and another position of the mould member where ejection of the moulded product takes place, a first fluid, comprising a pre-treatment fluid is entered into the one or more channels, said first fluid being introduced via the at least one ejection fluid inlet, said first fluid being water, and
• wherein at the position of ejection of the moulded product, an ejection fluid comprising compressed air is entered into the at least one ejection fluid inlet, said ejection fluid assisting the ejection of the moulded products from the group of mould cavities;
• wherein the permeable volume delimiting a mould cavity has a first fluid flow resistance P1 for a flow of ejection fluid into a trailing zone of the cavity, which is different from a second fluid flow resistance P2 for a flow of ejection fluid into a leading zone of the same one mould cavity, seen in the direction of movement, the first fluid flow resistance P1 being larger than the second fluid flow resistance P2.