Method for processing frozen food using super high pressure water jets
AssigneeKee Equipment and Engineering
InventorHoward L. Kee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for processing frozen food. The apparatus of the invention applies super high pressure water jets (at pressure on the order of 2000 p.s.i. or greater) to frozen food at a grazing incidence angle, to apply a shearing force to the food. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes two sets of water jets. The first set simultaneously thaws a surface portion of a frozen food item and cleans the item. The second set further thaws the item and shears off a surface portion thereof (such as the scales of a frozen fish). To clean and scale frozen fish, the jets in the first set are typically oriented at an incidence angle in the range 45-60 degrees, and the jets in the second set are typically oriented at an incidence angle in the range 20-29 degrees.
Claims6
A method for processing a frozen food item, including the steps of:
- conveying the frozen food item past a nozzle array;
- and
- directing one or more super high pressure water jets at a pressure of at least 2000 p.s.i. from the nozzle array with grazing incidence at the frozen food item, to apply a shearing force to the frozen food item as the frozen food item passes the nozzle array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.