Apparatus and method for the automatic harvesting of edible components of a giblet bundle of slaughtered poultry

An apparatus configured and adapted for automatic harvesting of edible components of a giblet bundle removed from slaughtered poultry, the edible components comprising a liver, a heart, lungs, and a gizzard, wherein additional giblet components comprise a gall bladder, a spleen, a proventriculus, intestines, and a trachea and oesophagus, the apparatus comprising:

• a transport means for transporting the giblet bundle, the transport means for transporting the giblet bundle suspended on the heart and/or on the lungs, or parts thereof, and the transport means for transporting the giblet bundle positioned along a first transport path along a plurality of processing stations, the plurality of processing stations configured for removing the gall bladder and the intestines from the giblet bundle;
• a means for holding the giblet bundle in a region of the gizzard, while the giblet bundle is suspended on the heart and/or on the lungs and freed of the gall bladder and the intestines, the means for holding the giblet bundle arranged on a transport means for transporting parts of the giblet bundle, along a second transport path,
• a means for removing the heart and the lungs from the giblet bundle;
• and
• a means for stripping the liver, the liver hanging downwards, from the partial giblet bundle;
• wherein the means for holding the giblet bundle in the region of the gizzard is configured and adapted for pivoting a partial giblet bundle, freed from the gall bladder, the intestines, the heart and lungs, about approximately 180°, such that the partial giblet bundle, together with the liver, can be transported, the liver hanging downwards, on the transport means for transporting parts of the giblet bundle.