IES20050391A2 - A process and apparatus for the preparation of whelk meat product - Google Patents

Abstract

A process for the preparation of whelk meat product is described. The whelks are initially pasteurised which partially seals the whelk meat in their shells. The whelk is then cooked (4) and the shell of the whelk is then crushed (5). The shells are removed from the meat during an initial screening stage (6) and the whelks are then delivered into a water bath where further shell and unwanted product are removed from the whelk meat. The whelk is then delivered through another water bath while compressed air is delivered onto the whelk again to remove any remaining shell and unwanted product. The whelk is then initially polished (7) on a horizontal rotary screen. After a final polishing stage (8) the product is frozen (10) for storage (11). The process ensures the whelk meat is of an ideal consistency and is largely devoid of shell and unwanted product. <Figure 1>

Description

“A process and apparatus for the preparation of a whelk meat product” Introduction The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for the preparation of a whelk meat product from live whelks.

Such whelks (buccicnum undatum) have spiral shells and are thus quite difficult to handle. A suitable process for handling such whelks is described in British Patent No. 2,284,739 (Lett Research & Development Limited) an associated company of the present applicants.

As is well known, whelk has a robust, spirally coiled shell and part of the body of the whelk extends from the shell and terminates in a muscular foot called the radula which is also relatively hard. The processing of the whelk involves the extraction of the muscular part of the body which is edible and includes its cooking. Unwanted products such as entrails, gut and scummy substances generally must also be fully removed. Generally, the muscle is cooked and then subsequently packed with a sauce. These gummy substances are essentially unwanted product.

While the process of this British Patent Specification No. 2,284,739 works satisfactorily, it has led to a few problems. The first problem is the necessity to ensure that the whelks are processed in a very controlled way so that they do not boil off too much moisture during the operation because if they do, they tend to get soft and, when soft, broken shell and the like tends to embed in the muscular meat. If the product is insufficiently cooked, the shell and scummy substances will remain adhered to the meat. A further problem is that if the whelks absorb too much moisture, subsequently after cooking, storage and reheating, the whelk tends to shed the moisture, thus diluting any sauce heated with the whelk.

While the process of British Patent Specification No. 2,284,739 has worked quite satisfactorily, it is not entirely satisfactory in that there still has been found residue of radula,-scummy substances and shell in the subsequent whelk meat, __________„ OFBi 10 PU8UC ISJSPF.CT1&« j I ft lop UKOER SECTION 28 ASiD RULE 231 JBL ...... ef 1 IE 0 5 0 3 9 1 -2Slatements of Invention According to the invention, there is provided a process for the preparation of whelk meat product from live whelks, comprising: delivering the whelk through an intake water bath by a screw conveyor while simultaneously abrading the whelk by contra rotating bushes; delivering the whelk to a rotary screen for removal of sand, mud and other debris to provide an initial washing and screening for the removal of sand, mud, bait, non-conforming whelk and other debris; delivering the cleaned whelks to a cooker; carrying out an initial pasteurising stage by introducing steam into the cooker for a time and at a pressure and temperature of foe order of 30 seconds, 1.5 bar and 110°C respectively to partially seal foe whelk meat in their shells; cooking the whelk in the cooker with steam for a time, at a temperature and pressure of the order of 160 seconds, 140°C and 3.0 bar respectively; crushing the shell; screening the whelk to remove most of the shells and radula; delivering the whelk into a water bath while directing air and water onto the whelk to further remove shell and deliver the whelk out of the vessel; simultaneously, operating a conveyor in the bottom of the water bath in contraflow to the whelk so that the whelk rises in the water vessel and the shell and unwanted product falls onto the surface of the conveyor; IE 0 5 03 9 1 -3removing the shell on the conveyor out of the vessel; delivering the whelk through a further water bath while delivering compressed air onto the whelk to further remove unwanted product and shell; delivering the whelk into a horizontally arranged rotary screen, while directing water onto the outer surface of the screen to further remove shell and unwanted product and to carry out an initial polishing of the whelk; final polishing the whelk for subsequent use and to detach any residual shell and unwanted product, the polishing comprising delivering the whelk onto an uppermost support plate of a plurality of spaced-apart support plates fast on a rotating shaft; directing the product outwards against the sides of the conditioning vessel under centrifugal force to fall onto one of a plurality of vertically arranged stationary spaced-apart guide plates on the sides of the vessel; allowing the whelk to fall under gravity onto a lower support plate; and continuing the steps until the whelk exits the conditioning vessel; screening the whelk to remove further unwanted product and shell; and freezing the resultant product for storage.

In one embodiment of the invention, the process further comprises after the initial washing, the whelk is delivered to a further cleaning vessel.

Ideally, the guide plates are interspersed between the rotating support plates whereby the guide and support plates partially overlap to ensure that the whelk falls onto each support plate as it progresses through the conditioning vessel.

In one way of carrying out the invention, prior to cooking: IE 0 5 0 3 9 1 the whelk is inspected and damaged whelk and any foreign matter are removed; the whelk is weighed into a batch; and the batch of whelk is cooked.

Detailed Description of the Invention The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a layout showing the various stations for carrying out the process according to the invention, and Figs. 2 to 12 are details of some of the stations.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Fig. 1, there is illustrated the apparatus and process of the invention by way of laying out the various operations and stations. In an intake station 1, the product is stored and chilled and is then delivered to a wash and screen station 2 where an initial washing takes place to remove mud, sand, other marine life, bait, non conforming species of whelks and, in general, damaged product. Then the product is delivered to a weighing and inspection station 3 from which the product is delivered to a cooking station 4 where the product is cooked in batches. Then it is delivered to a crushing station 5 where an initial crushing takes place, after which it is washed and screened in a wash and screen station 6. Then horizontal polishing takes place in an initial polishing station 7, followed by vertical polishing in a final polishing station 8 after which the whelk is graded in a grading station 9. It is then frozen in a freezing station 10 and stored in a store 11.

For ease of understanding, each of the stations is now described in turn, together with the operation that takes place in that station.

IE 0 5 0 3 9 1 -5Further, each station has various items of equipment which are illustrated in more detail where necessary. Conventional equipment is often not identified and indeed many of the pipes, etc. for the recirculation of water and so on, are not described in detail and in many cases, for ease of understanding, are omitted from the drawing. Further, each station, as described above, is identified generally by the appropriate reference numeral in the drawings.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, there is illustrated the intake station 1 and the wash and screen station 2. The intake station 1 comprises a chill room 101 for the storage of product, in fish boxes 102. The chill room 101 receives product delivered from suppliers and the product is stored in the chill room 101 at a temperature of between 0° and 4°C for not longer than 24 hours.

The wash and screen station 2 comprises an intake hopper 201 connected to an intake conveyor 202 which in turn feeds a further hopper 203 (shown in more detail in Fig. 3). The hopper 203 in turn feeds a water bath 204 mounting a screw conveyor 205 and brushes 206. The water bath 204 in turn feeds a rotary screen 207 mounted above a waste water receiving discharge hopper 208. The rotary screen 207 feeds a delivery conveyor 209.

In operation, in the wash and screen station 2, the whelk in its shell is delivered to the intake hopper 201 up the conveyor 202 into the hopper 203 and then into the water bath 204. The screw conveyor 205 rotates to deliver the product from the hopper 203 to the rotary screen 207, while the brushes 206 rotate in contra direction to the screw conveyor 205 to abrade and clean the whelk. Whelk is then delivered into the rotary screen 207 where again it is washed and screened to remove debris through the discharge hopper 208. It is then delivered out the delivery conveyor 209.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, there is illustrated the weighing and inspection station 3, as well as the crushing station 5 and portion of the wash and screen station 2. This comprises an inspection belt 301 delivering to a hopper 302 which in turn delivers to a conveyor 303 feeding a batch weigher 304. At the weighing and inspection station, operatives examine the product on the belt 301 and any unwanted product is removed and also various alien foreign bodies or other debris that may not have IE 0 5 0 3 9 1 -6already been removed. Then the product is delivered to the hopper 302 up the conveyor 303 into batch weighers where it is weighed into batches of approximately 300 Kg ± 30 Kg.

Referring again to Figs. 4 and 5, the cooking station 4 comprises a cooker 401 mounting internal product agitating vanes 402. The cooker 401 is a conventional pressurised cooker. The cooker 401 feeds an outlet hopper 403 onto a conveyor 404.

In operation, on first being delivered from the batch weigher 304 into the cooker 401, the whelk, is initially pasteurised by introducing steam into the cooker at between 1.25 and 1.75 bar and at a temperature of between 100°C and 120°C for a time of between 20 and 40 seconds to partially seal the whelk meat in their shells. Then the whelk is cooked in the cooker 401 at a pressure of between 2.75 and 3.25 bar, at a temperature of between 120°C and 160°C for between 150 and 170 seconds. The time and temperature of both the cooking and pasteurising depend on the size and type of product, in the sense that whelk can be considerably larger when taken from one breeding ground than from another. The actual batch size selected will also impact pn the cycle time selected to achieve the requisite pasteurising and cooking process. However, generally speaking, the pasteurising takes place at approximately 1.50 bar at 110°C and for about 30 seconds. Similarly, the cooking is generally carried out at 3 bar and at a temperature of approximately 140°C for about 160 seconds, but again, these cooking times are not by any means set and will be varied. After cooking, the cooked whelk, still in its shell, is delivered out the outlet hopper 403 onto the conveyor 404.

Referring specifically to Fig. 6, the crushing station 5 is illustrated in more detail. There are provided two crushers 501, each fed from the conveyor 404. Each crusher 501 comprises a vertical drum 502 mounting a driven shaft 504 in turn carrying five discs 505 mounting hammerheads 506 and a system of water jets delivering pressurised clean cold water at under pressure. Mounted on the side of the vessel are crush strike plates 507. Each crusher 501 delivers to an exit conveyor 508.

In operation, whelk in its shell is delivered out the conveyor 404 into one of the IE 0 5 03 9 1 -7crushers 501. The shafts 504 rotate at between 300 and 400 revs per minute and thus the hammerheads 506 hit the shell very sharply which is delivered centrifugally out against the crush strike plates 507 thus crushing the shell. Generally, the product will cascade down from the uppermost disc 505 to the next disc and so on and thus it is well crushed before it exits onto the conveyor 508.

Referring now to Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive, the wash and screen station 6 and the initial polishing station 7 are illustrated. The wash and screen stage 6 comprises an intake hopper 601 fed from the conveyor 508 delivering to an elevator 602 which delivers to a hopper 603 fed with water from a water storage tank 604. The hopper feeds three cascading conveyors 605, 606 and 607, all within a water bath. Then the conveyor 607 feeds a water bath 609 having a toothed conveyor 608, that is to say, with product engaging and retaining upward projections. Water is delivered into the bath 609 to flow in the direction of the arrow A, while the toothed conveyor 608 moves in the opposite direction within a water bath 609. The water bath 609 in turn feeds by conveyors 611 and 612 a further water bath 613 (Fig. 9). The conveyor 612 has a perforated belt. The water bath 613 has a series of air inlet jets 614 connected to a manifold 615 and fed by pressurised air from a tank 616. A weir 620 is mounted in the tank 616. The conveyor 612 is led along the bottom of the tank 616 and up out of the tank into a rotary screen 622 which in turn feeds a further rotary screen 623. The rotary screen comprises a plurality of spaced-apart bars 625. An output conveyor 630 is mounted at the exit of the screen 623.

In operation, product is delivered up the conveyor 602 into the hopper 603 and then cascades down the conveyors 605, 606 and 607, being moved and agitated by the conveyors so that any waste product will drop off the conveyors. Then the conveyor 607 delivers the product into the water bath 609 where water urges the product in the direction of the arrow A, while the toothed conveyor 608 delivers all broken) shell and debris in the opposite direction to the hopper 630 for disposal. The conveyor 611 then delivers the product to the conveyor 612, when the product is delivered into the water bath 613. Air is delivered from the nozzles 614 to cause the product to rise off the perforated belt. The air is delivered up through the belt of the conveyor 612 causing the product to rise off the bed and because of the air in the water, to float on the surface of the water in the tank 613 and to be delivered towards the weir 620 IE 0 5 0 3 9 1 -8where the product will pass over the weir, water will fall down out of the weir and the product will then be delivered into the water bath 609 beyond the weir where the conveyor 612 will carry it into the screen 622.

The product is further abraded by the bars 625 in the screen 622 when it is delivered into the screen 623. Water is delivered to the outside of the screen to assist in the polishing process, This is the initial polishing of the product. Then the product is delivered out the conveyor 630.

Referring now to Fig. 10 and 11, there is illustrated the final polishing grading and freezing stages 8, 9 and 10. The polishing station 8 (Fig. 11) comprises a polisher, indicated generally by the reference numeral 801 which comprises a conditioning vessel 802 having a plurality of support plates 803 mounted on a rotatable shaft 804 and pressurised water delivered through a system of water jets, for simplicity not shown. The support plates 803 mount a plurality of blades 805. On the interior side of the vessel 802, there is provided a plurality of stationery spaced-apart downwardly inclined guide plates 808 which, it will be noted, project between the support plates 803. Portion of the interior surface of the vessel 802 carries abrasion plates 809 formed from a metal mesh.

In operation, product is delivered up the conveyor 630 into the polisher 801, the product falls down onto the uppermost plate 803. The product gets abraded and washed further, knocked towards the side wall of the vessel 802 onto the guide plates 808 and then cascades down onto the next plate 803 and so on, until it is eventually delivered out onto the discharge conveyor 810.

In the grading stage 9, the product is again inspected on the conveyor 810 and delivered to a conveyor 901 onto a grader 903 (see Fig. 12). The grader 903 comprises a plurality of diverging transporting conveyor belts 904 such that the smallest product is delivered first onto various conveyors 905, 906, 907 onto further tables 910.

This product is delivered to a flow freezer 1001. Glazing with spray water takes place at a station 1002 and packing at 1003. Equally, the product can be frozen in blocks.

IE Ο 5 Ο 3 9 1 -9Ιη the specification the terms “comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising” or any variation thereof and the terms “include, includes, included and including” or any variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be afforded the widest possible interpretation and vice versa.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described, but may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the claims.

IE 0 5 0 3 9 1

Claims (6)

1. A process for the preparation of whelk meat product from live whelks, comprising: delivering the whelk through an intake water bath by a screw conveyor while simultaneously abrading the whelk by contra rotating bushes; delivering the whelk to a rotary screen for removal of sand, mud and other debris to provide an initial washing and screening for the removal of sand, mud, bait, non-conforming whelk and other debris; delivering the cleaned whelks to a cooker; carrying out an initial pasteurising stage by introducing steam into the cooker for a time and at a pressure and temperature of the order of 30 seconds, 1.5 bar and 110°C respectively to partially seal the whelk meat in their shells; cooking the whelk in the cooker with steam for a time, at a temperature and pressure of the order of 160 seconds, 140°C and 3.0 bar respectively; crushing the shell; screening the whelk to remove most of the shells and radula; delivering the whelk into a water bath while directing air and water onto the whelk to further remove shell and deliver the whelk out of the vessel; simultaneously, operating a conveyor in the bottom of the water bath in contraflow to the whelk so that the whelk rises in the water vessel and the shell and unwanted product falls onto the surface of the conveyor; IE 0 5 0 3 9 1 - 11 removing the shell on the conveyor out of the vessel; delivering the whelk through a further water bath while delivering compressed air onto the whelk to further remove unwanted product and shell; delivering the whelk into a horizontally arranged rotary screen, while directing water onto the outer surface of the screen to further remove shell and unwanted product and to carry out an initial polishing of the whelk; final polishing the whelk for subsequent use and to detach any residual shell and unwanted product, the polishing comprising delivering the whelk onto an uppermost support plate of a plurality of spaced-apart support plates fast on a rotating shaft; directing the product outwards against the sides of the conditioning vessel under centrifugal force to fall onto one of a plurality of vertically arranged stationary spaced-apart guide plates on the sides of the vessel; allowing the whelk to fell under gravity onto a lower support plate; and continuing the steps until the whelk exits the conditioning vessel; screening the whelk to remove further unwanted product and shell; and freezing the resultant product for storage.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, in which after the initial washing, the whelk is delivered to a further cleaning vessel.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the guide plates are interspersed between the rotating support plates whereby the guide and support plates partially overlap to ensure that the whelk falls onto each support plate as it progresses through the conditioning vessel. IE Ο 5 Ο 3 9 1 -12

4. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, in which prior to cooking: the whelk is inspected and damaged whelk and any foreign matter are removed; the whelk is weighed into a batch; and the batch of whelk is cooked. 10

5. A process for the preparation of whelk meat substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. IE 0 5 0 3 9 1 1/12 FREEZE -> STORE INTAKE -> WASH & SCREEN --H WEIGH & INSPECT IE 0 5 0 3 9 1 2/12 3/12 IE 0 5 03 9 1 CM θ CM IE 0 5 03 5/12 IE 0 5 0 3 9 1 ty nn c\i Fig. 5 IE Ο 5 Ο 3 9 1

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