A method of producing extruded ice cream products, the method comprising: providing a plurality of extruded ice cream products in an ordered arrangement on a plurality of trays; arranging the plurality of trays for movement along a conveyor line, the plurality of trays and the plurality of extruded ice cream products being arranged thereon for downstream processing; sensing at least one of a vertical product height (h sp) or a horizontal product position (d sp) of the plurality of extruded ice cream products arranged on the plurality of trays using at least one sensor (48, 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d, 50, 54); and analyzing the sensed at least one of the vertical product height (h sp) or the horizontal product position (d sp) of the plurality of extruded ice cream products using a processor to determine suitability for downstream processing, comparing the sensed at least one of the vertical product height (h sp) or the horizontal product position (d sp) of the plurality of extruded ice cream products to a reference vertical product height (h rp) or a reference horizontal product position (d rp) of the plurality of extruded ice cream products, respectively, using the processor to calculate a vertical product height deviation or a horizontal product position deviation, wherein the plurality of extruded ice cream products are suitable for downstream processing when the calculated deviation is less than a predetermined deviation, sensing at least one of a vertical tray height (h st) or a horizontal tray position (d st) of the plurality of trays using the at least one sensor (48, 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d, 50, 54); and analyzing the sensed at least one of the vertical tray height (h st) or the horizontal tray position (d st) of the plurality of trays using the processor to determine suitability for downstream processing, and comprising comparing the sensed at least one of the vertical tray height (h st) or the horizontal tray position (d st) of the plurality of extruded ice cream products to a reference vertical tray height (h rt) or a reference horizontal tray position (d rt) of the plurality of trays, respectively, using the processor to calculate a vertical product tray deviation or a horizontal tray deviation, wherein the plurality of extruded ice cream products arranged on the plurality of trays are suitable for downstream processing when the calculated deviation is less than a predetermined deviation. providing a plurality of extruded ice cream products in an ordered arrangement on a plurality of trays; arranging the plurality of trays for movement along a conveyor line, the plurality of trays and the plurality of extruded ice cream products being arranged thereon for downstream processing; sensing at least one of a vertical product height (h sp) or a horizontal product position (d sp) of the plurality of extruded ice cream products arranged on the plurality of trays using at least one sensor (48, 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d, 50, 54); and analyzing the sensed at least one of the vertical product height (h sp) or the horizontal product position (d sp) of the plurality of extruded ice cream products using a processor to determine suitability for downstream processing, comparing the sensed at least one of the vertical product height (h sp) or the horizontal product position (d sp) of the plurality of extruded ice cream products to a reference vertical product height (h rp) or a reference horizontal product position (d rp) of the plurality of extruded ice cream products, respectively, using the processor to calculate a vertical product height deviation or a horizontal product position deviation, wherein the plurality of extruded ice cream products are suitable for downstream processing when the calculated deviation is less than a predetermined deviation, sensing at least one of a vertical tray height (h st) or a horizontal tray position (d st) of the plurality of trays using the at least one sensor (48, 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d, 50, 54); and analyzing the sensed at least one of the vertical tray height (h st) or the horizontal tray position (d st) of the plurality of trays using the processor to determine suitability for downstream processing, and comprising comparing the sensed at least one of the vertical tray height (h st) or the horizontal tray position (d st) of the plurality of extruded ice cream products to a reference vertical tray height (h rt) or a reference horizontal tray position (d rt) of the plurality of trays, respectively, using the processor to calculate a vertical product tray deviation or a horizontal tray deviation, wherein the plurality of extruded ice cream products arranged on the plurality of trays are suitable for downstream processing when the calculated deviation is less than a predetermined deviation.