Method for recovering and recycling of food products from non-metallic containers

Abstract

Food and other contents of non-metallic containers are recovered from the containers by cutting the container bodies into fragments, advancing along a vibrating conveyor section through a liquid spray while simultaneously tumbling the fragments and the contents, continuing to advance the fragments and contents across strainer sections in the conveyor section to remove at least a part of the contents, lifting the fragments off of the conveyor section and advancing along a separate path of travel away from the conveyor section for collection together with any fragments and food contents remaining on the conveyor section after passing over the strainer sections. In converting food contents into usable food or feed values, the contents recovered through the strainer sections may be dried to reduce their moisture level either by mechanical dehydration or the addition of bulking agents, or both, and may be advanced through an extruder to convert the dried food contents into a complete ration.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.