Design and testing of small scale fish meat bone separator useful for fish processing.

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Mechanical Engineering
• Agricultural Engineering

Background:

• Small-scale fish processing often faces challenges with efficient bone removal.
• Traditional methods can be labor-intensive and may impact product quality.
• There is a need for cost-effective and hygienic machinery for value-added fish products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a belt and drum type machine for producing boneless comminuted meat from raw fish fillets.
• To assess the efficiency, capacity, and impact on proximate composition of the machine.
• To provide a reliable and hygienic solution for small-scale fish processing.

Main Methods:

• Development of a belt and drum type meat-bone separator utilizing compression force.
• Utilizing a 1HP electric geared motor and a conveyor belt with a linear velocity of 19-22 m/min.
• Conducting trials to determine separation efficiency, capacity, and analyze proximate composition.

Main Results:

• The machine achieved up to 75% efficiency in deboning fish on a dressed fish weight basis.
• Demonstrated a processing capacity of 70 kg/h at a machine speed of 25 rpm.
• Proximate composition of the comminuted fish meat showed no significant changes compared to unprocessed meat.

Conclusions:

• The developed machine is effective for producing boneless comminuted fish meat suitable for value-added products.
• The design emphasizes hygiene, includes cleaning-in-place (CIP) provisions, and offers cost-effectiveness.
• This innovation provides a reliable solution for small-scale industries in the fish processing sector.