Patent ID: 6558242
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: A22B,A22C,G01N

Abstract:
A method for removing a portion of fat from meat cuts, comprising,placing a meat cut on a longitudinal conveyor, pressing at least one sensor probe into the meat cut to measure the thickness of fat and the location of lean in the meat cut, and then withdrawing the sensor probe from the meat, taking an electronic signal from the sensor probe and determining a depth from an outer lower surface of the meat cut through a layer of fat in the meat cut to a layer of lean in the meat cut, taking data from the preceding step and adjusting the position of a blade to a predetermined position with respect to the meat cut to remove a portion of fat from the meat cut to expose a given area of lean, cutting the portion of fat from the meat cut and varying the position of the blade while the cutting of the meat cut is taking place to optimize the amount of fat portion being removed, and the data is acquired by first optic fibers carrying light internally to the probes being pressed into the meat cut to emit light on an internal part of the meat cut into which the probe is being pressed, and second fiber optics in the probe to receive light from the first fiber optics that are reflected from the meat cut.