The separation of meat from bone-A review of the mechanics and the problems

With continually increasing demands on the world's food supply, new techniques, improvements to old methods, the recovery and utilisation of waste and the introduction of novel foods are all becoming increasingly important. The separation of residual meat from bone by manual methods is inefficient, time-consuming and expensive; mechanical separation is not new, but it is only in recent years that manufacturers have become aware of its potential. There are two main approaches to meat recovery, removal of bone from meat and retrieval of meat from bones. Although the implications of the former are significant, the available methods are largely modifications of manual procedures and limited in application; recovery of meat from bones is, however, in extensive commercial use. This review discusses the methods and mechanics of the latter and the associated problems of handling, storage and recovery, together with the uses of the product, legal requirements and restrictions in the use of mechanically recovered meat (MRM).