Processed fish manufacturing system and processed fish manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a processed fish manufacturing system and a manufacturing method therefor that for a fish species having a kidney on the back side of a peritoneum, can simply implement cut-off or removal of the kidney using compressed and discharged liquid only.SOLUTION: A processed fish manufacturing system 100 comprises: a first discharging unit 10 that to a fish body F, which has its kidney on the back side of its peritoneum and its visceral organs on the abdominal side of the peritoneum are removed after its abdomen is cut until the visceral organs are exposed, discharges straight flow first water-containing liquid, which is to be discharged from the abdominal side toward the peritoneum, applies pressure in a predetermined pressure range to be received by the peritoneum when reaching the peritoneum, and is physiologically acceptable; and a second discharging unit 20 that after at least part of the peritoneum is cut off or broken by the first water-containing liquid, discharges second water-containing liquid, which is to be discharged from the abdominal side toward the kidney, applies pressure in a predetermined pressure range to be received by the kidney when reaching the kidney, and is physiologically acceptable.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a processed fish manufacturing system, a processed fish manufacturing method, and processed fish. [Background technology]

[0002] As the standard of living of citizens improves, it is the mission of companies that manufacture and sell processed food products to continue to provide a stable supply of abundant food to the market, but achieving this is not easy. For example, for companies that trade in seafood, the amount of seafood caught directly affects the price of raw materials, and ultimately the selling price to consumers. However, even if raw material prices rise, companies are required to make efforts to minimize the impact on selling prices to consumers as much as possible by reviewing their trading methods from every angle and using ingenuity.

[0003] When the raw material is fish (fish body), one way to reduce raw material prices is to change the cutting method of the traded raw material to reduce the burden on the primary processing of the raw material. One example of processed fish that reduces the burden on the primary processing is processed fish that omits the kidney removal process, known as fish mefun, or in which the kidney removal is insufficient. As mentioned above, such processed fish can contribute to reducing raw material prices because the processing burden is reduced. However, depending on the use of the fish body, the kidney removal process must be performed with high precision during secondary processing, which may actually increase the processing burden for those who carry out secondary processing.

[0004] In particular, the kidneys located along the spine often adhere to the fish meat, so if the kidneys are not removed or are not sufficiently removed during primary processing, the secondary processing to remove the kidneys is a heavy workload. For this reason, a device for removing fish kidneys has been disclosed (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 63-141540 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in fish species that have a peritoneum, the kidneys are located dorsal to the peritoneum, so it is necessary to cut or remove the peritoneum before removing the kidneys, which further increases the workload for processors. Specifically, even if an incision is made on the ventral side of the fish (fish body) to remove the internal organs other than the kidneys, the kidneys are covered by the peritoneum, so to speak, and the kidneys are "protected," making it extremely difficult to remove them until the peritoneum has been cut or removed. In addition, as mentioned above, the kidneys often adhere to the fish meat, so the kidney removal process itself is a considerable burden for processors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention makes it possible to easily cut or remove the peritoneum and kidneys of fish species in which the kidneys are located dorsal to the peritoneum using only pressurized and ejected liquid, and it will make a significant contribution to the realization of a processed fish manufacturing system and manufacturing method that also takes hygiene into consideration.

[0008] The present inventors focused on the problems of inefficiency and increased processing costs associated with cutting the peritoneum with a blade and removing the kidneys with a blade or brush for fish species in which the kidneys are located dorsal to the peritoneum, i.e., fish species in which the peritoneum covers the kidneys when an incision is made from the ventral side of the fish body. Therefore, the present inventors conducted extensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems, i.e., to improve the efficiency and / or speed of the peritoneum and kidney removal process and ultimately reduce processing costs, while avoiding contact of blades or brushes with the fish body (or, more narrowly, the edible part of the fish meat, etc.) even as part of the kidney removal process. Specifically, the present inventors conducted extensive research and analysis to explore the possibility of solving the above problems by using a pressurized liquid discharge method that takes into consideration more hygienic aspects and does not require the use of blades (for cutting and scraping) or brushes (for scraping).

[0009] As a result, the inventors noticed that the role of the pressurized discharged liquid can be varied depending on the characteristics of the shape of the liquid. Based on this, the inventors realized that at least part of the above-mentioned problems can be solved by employing a first liquid discharge means that mainly serves to cut the peritoneum, and a second liquid discharge means that mainly serves to remove the peritoneum and kidneys thereafter, or to remove the peritoneum and kidneys and wash the fish meat. Furthermore, through further ingenuity, the inventors found a means that can solve the above-mentioned problems with a high degree of certainty, and created the present invention.

[0010] One processed fish manufacturing system of the present invention comprises a first discharge unit that discharges a first water-containing liquid in a physiologically acceptable straight flow toward the peritoneum from the ventral side of a fish body having a kidney on the dorsal side of the peritoneum, after the abdomen has been cut through the peritoneum to expose the ventral internal organs, and the first water-containing liquid is delivered to the fish body from which the internal organs have been removed, with the first water-containing liquid being delivered from the ventral side toward the peritoneum and with the pressure on the peritoneum being 1.1 MPa or more and 5 MPa or less when it reaches the peritoneum; and a second discharge unit that discharges a physiologically acceptable second water-containing liquid from the ventral side toward the kidney after the first water-containing liquid has cut or ruptured at least a portion of the peritoneum, with the second water-containing liquid being delivered from the ventral side toward the kidney and with the pressure on the kidney being 0.02 MPa or more and 0.06 MPa or less when it reaches the kidney.

[0011] According to this processed fish manufacturing system, for the above-mentioned fish having kidneys on the dorsal side of the peritoneum, two types of discharge units with different functions, the first discharge unit and the second discharge unit, are employed, thereby enabling highly accurate cutting and removal of the peritoneum as well as removal of the kidneys. More specifically, the relatively high-pressure, straight-flowing first water-containing liquid discharged from the first discharge unit mainly plays the role of cutting the peritoneum, and the relatively low-pressure, second water-containing liquid discharged from the second discharge unit mainly plays the role of removing the peritoneum and kidneys and / or washing the fish meat. As a result, the cutting or removal of the peritoneum and kidneys can be easily achieved, and since the treatment is performed using a physiologically acceptable water-containing liquid, hygiene can also be improved. Furthermore, since the water-containing liquid is employed as the fluid discharged from the first and second discharge units, the above-mentioned functions can be achieved with higher accuracy than, for example, gas.

[0012] Furthermore, one method for producing processed fish of the present invention includes a first discharge step of discharging a first water-containing liquid in a physiologically acceptable straight flow toward the peritoneum, the first water-containing liquid being discharged from the ventral side toward the peritoneum and experiencing a pressure of 1.1 MPa to 5 MPa when it reaches the peritoneum, after at least a portion of the peritoneum has been cut or ruptured by the first water-containing liquid, and a second discharge step of discharging a physiologically acceptable second water-containing liquid being discharged from the ventral side toward the kidney and experiencing a pressure of 0.02 MPa to 0.06 MPa when it reaches the kidney.

[0013] According to this method for producing processed fish, by employing two different discharge steps, the first and second discharge steps, for the fish having kidneys on the dorsal side of the peritoneum, it is possible to produce processed fish in which the kidneys have been removed in addition to the cutting and removal of the peritoneum with high accuracy. More specifically, in the first discharge step, the relatively high-pressure, straight-flowing first water-containing liquid mainly plays the role of cutting the peritoneum, and in the subsequent second discharge step, the relatively low-pressure second water-containing liquid mainly plays the role of removing the peritoneum and kidneys and / or washing the fish meat. As a result, the cutting or removal of the peritoneum and kidneys can be easily achieved, and since the treatment is performed using a physiologically acceptable water-containing liquid, it can also contribute to improving the hygiene of the produced processed fish. Furthermore, since the water-containing liquid is used as the fluid discharged in the first and second discharge steps, the above-mentioned functions can be achieved with higher accuracy than, for example, gas.

[0014] It should be noted that "washing fish meat" in this application is different from removing the kidneys and refers to a process of removing or sterilizing bacteria from the fish meat itself, or removing or reducing impurities, including the fish meat in the area where the kidneys were in contact (for example, where the kidneys were attached and thus "hidden," so to speak) that appears after the kidneys have been removed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to one of the processed fish manufacturing systems and one of the processed fish manufacturing methods of the present invention, it is possible to easily cut or remove the peritoneum and kidneys of fish species in which the kidneys are located dorsal to the peritoneum, and because the treatment is carried out using a physiologically acceptable water-containing liquid, it can also contribute to improved hygiene.

[0016] Furthermore, one processed fish of the present invention is hygienic because the peritoneum and the kidneys dorsal to the peritoneum are removed using only a water-containing liquid, and the removal of the peritoneum and kidneys is highly reliable. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1]1 is a side view showing an outline of the configuration of a processed fish manufacturing system in a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of a processed fish manufacturing system in a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 2 is an enlarged view of a first discharge section and a second discharge section of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing process of processed fish according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 3 is a photograph showing the peritoneum and kidneys of a fish body before production of processed fish in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 3 is a photograph showing the state of a processed fish after the peritoneum and kidneys have been removed from the fish body after production in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a side view showing an outline of the configuration of a processed fish manufacturing system in a modified example (1) of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of a processed fish manufacturing system in a modified example (1) of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a side view showing an outline of the configuration of a processed fish manufacturing system in a modified example (2) of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of a processed fish manufacturing system in a modified example (2) of the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The processed fish manufacturing system, the processed fish manufacturing method, and the processed fish according to the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this description, common parts are designated by common reference numerals throughout the drawings unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, the elements of the present embodiment are not necessarily drawn to scale in the drawings. Furthermore, some reference numerals may be omitted to make the drawings easier to read.

[0019] First Embodiment In the processed fish manufacturing system 100 and processed fish manufacturing method of this embodiment, the following components are used to perform the processes (steps) described below. Figure 1 is a side view showing an outline of the configuration of the processed fish manufacturing system 100 of this embodiment. Figure 2 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of the processed fish manufacturing system 100 of this embodiment. Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the first discharge section 10 and the second discharge section 20 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a photograph showing the peritoneum and kidneys of a fish body before the processed fish is manufactured in this embodiment. In addition, Figure 6 is a photograph showing the state of the fish body after the peritoneum and kidneys have been removed after the processed fish has been manufactured in this embodiment.

[0020] (Configuration of the processed fish manufacturing system of the first embodiment) 1 to 3, 5 and 6, the processed fish production system 100 of this embodiment includes a first discharge unit 10 that discharges a physiologically acceptable straight flow of a first water-containing liquid 12 toward a fish body F to be processed, and a second discharge unit 20 that discharges a physiologically acceptable second water-containing liquid 22. Note that the term "discharge unit" that discharges each water-containing liquid in this embodiment can be read as "spray unit." Also, both the first discharge unit 10 and the second discharge unit 20 can employ known nozzles as long as the effects of this embodiment can be achieved.

[0021] More specifically, the fish body F in this embodiment has a kidney K on the dorsal side of the peritoneum M, as shown in Figure 5, and the abdomen has been cut open until the ventral internal organs are exposed from the peritoneum M, and then the internal organs have been removed.

[0022] Furthermore, the first discharge part 10 of this embodiment discharges the first water-containing liquid 12 in a straight flow from the ventral side toward mainly the peritoneum M of the fish body F. This straight flow of the first water-containing liquid 12 is pressurized to a pressure capable of cutting or rupturing (hereinafter collectively referred to as "cutting") at least a part of the peritoneum M.

[0023] Furthermore, after at least a portion of the peritoneum M has been cut by the first water-containing liquid 12, the second discharge unit 20 of this embodiment discharges the second water-containing liquid mainly toward the kidneys K from the ventral side of the fish body F in the same manner as the first water-containing liquid 12. This second water-containing liquid 22 is pressurized to a pressure that can at least remove the cut peritoneum M and kidneys K, or remove the peritoneum M and kidneys K and wash the fish meat in the fish body F.

[0024] Furthermore, when the range over which the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge part 10 can directly reach the fish body F (particularly the peritoneum M) is limited, another embodiment that can be adopted is to provide a control part 90 (detailed wiring is omitted from the drawing) (or control process) that uses, for example, a stepping motor or servo motor to perform a swinging or rotational movement around the upper part of the first discharge part 10 (for example, the end part away from the fish body F) as a fulcrum, or an up and down movement (movement towards and away from the fish body F) around the upper end as a base point, thereby expanding the range over which the first water-containing liquid 12 can directly reach the fish body F, and / or to provide a control part 90 (or control process) that uses, for example, a stepping motor or servo motor to control the direction of the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge part 10 so that it is approximately perpendicular to the peritoneum M in accordance with the movement of the fish body F.

[0025] It should be noted that, although the second discharge part 20 of this embodiment discharges the second water-containing liquid 22 in the form of a fan-shaped flow, the form (discharge form or spray form (hereinafter, representatively referred to as "discharge form")) of the second water-containing liquid 22 is not limited to a fan-shaped flow. At least part of the effects of this embodiment can be achieved by the second discharge part discharging one type of second water-containing liquid 22 selected from the group consisting of a fan-shaped flow, a trapezoidal flow, a straight flow, a rotational flow, a film-like flow, a pyramidal flow, and a conical flow. For example, from the viewpoint of preventing or suppressing the retention of the second water-containing liquid on the peritoneum M and / or from the viewpoint of more accurately and efficiently removing residues from the peritoneum M or the kidneys K, employing a fan-shaped flow among the forms of the second water-containing liquid 22 is a preferred embodiment. Furthermore, similar to the first discharge part 10, if the range over which the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge part 20 can directly reach the fish body F (particularly the peritoneum M and kidneys K) is limited, another embodiment that can be adopted is to use a known mechanism to perform a swinging or rotational movement with the upper end (the end away from the fish body F) of the second discharge part 20 as the fulcrum, or an up and down movement (movement towards and away from the fish body F) with the upper end as the base point, thereby expanding the range over which the second water-containing liquid 22 can directly reach the fish body F.

[0026] Furthermore, in both the first discharge unit 10 and the second discharge unit 20, by forcibly applying a varying pressure when the discharged first water-containing liquid 12 or second water-containing liquid 22 reaches the fish body F, it is possible to more accurately cut at least a portion of the peritoneum M, remove the peritoneum M and the kidney K, or remove the peritoneum M and the kidney K and wash the fish meat in the fish body F. Therefore, another suitable embodiment that can be adopted is to provide the first discharge unit 10 and / or the second discharge unit 20 with a control unit 90 (or control process) that performs the above-mentioned swinging motion, rotational motion, or up and down motion. By controlling each of the above-mentioned motions, it may be possible to perform processing according to differences in the fish species, strength of the peritoneum M, adhesion of the kidney K to the fish meat, etc.

[0027] 1, 2, and 5, a fish F has a kidney K on the dorsal side of the peritoneum M, and the abdomen is cut open until the ventral internal organs are exposed from the peritoneum M. The fish F from which the internal organs have been removed is then sent (in the direction indicated by the arrow) toward the processed fish manufacturing system 100 with the cut abdomen (more narrowly, the peritoneum M) facing (exposed) toward the first discharge unit 10 and the second discharge unit 20, thereby mainly carrying out the following processes (1) and (2). Note that in this embodiment, a fish F with its head cut off is used, but the effects of this embodiment can also be achieved even with a fish F whose head has not been cut off, as long as the abdomen has been cut open until the ventral internal organs are exposed from the peritoneum M. (1) A process for cutting at least a portion of the peritoneum M (2) A process that mainly removes the peritoneum M and kidneys K, or a process that removes the peritoneum M and kidneys K and washes the fish meat

[0028] The processed fish production system 100 of this embodiment is provided with a guide unit 50 for stably performing the above-described processes (1) and (2) on fish bodies F delivered into the production system 100. In this embodiment, the positions and orientations of the first discharge unit 10, the second discharge unit 20, and the storage unit 30 can be fixed by a known fixing mechanism (e.g., bolts and nuts) that utilizes a through-hole provided in an edge portion 52, which is part of the guide unit 50 and is formed by bending an end of the guide unit 50, and a through-hole provided in the storage unit 30 that stores the first discharge unit 10 and the second discharge unit 20. In this embodiment, the direction of the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge unit 10 is set to be approximately vertical or substantially perpendicular to the surface that constitutes the peritoneum M, which is a preferred aspect because it enables highly reliable removal of the peritoneum M and kidney K.

[0029] In addition, the processed fish manufacturing system 100 is equipped with a conveying unit (belt conveyor) 40 that rotates belts 42a, 42b to convey one or more fish bodies F on the conveying table P using a drive control unit 80 (detailed wiring is omitted in the drawing) that controls the driving of pulleys 40a, 40b using a drive unit, in order to perform the above-mentioned processes (1) and (2) on fish bodies F continuously, intermittently, or discontinuously. Therefore, the drive control unit 80 can control the conveying speed of fish bodies F sent to the processed fish manufacturing system 100 using, for example, a servo motor.

[0030] The discharge pressure and discharge rate of the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge part 10 and the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge part 20 can be controlled by known means. For example, a known pressure pump can be used to feed the first water-containing liquid 12 and the second water-containing liquid 22 from a storage part for the first water-containing liquid 12 and a storage part for the second water-containing liquid 22 (not shown) to the first discharge part 20 and the second discharge part 20 via respective supply pipes. In this embodiment, a control step is performed in which the control part 90 controls the discharge pressure and the discharge rate.

[0031] Furthermore, the first water-containing liquid 12 and the second water-containing liquid 22 in this embodiment are not particularly limited as long as they are physiologically acceptable liquids. A typical example of such a liquid is water. Therefore, in this embodiment, water containing physiologically acceptable impurities is used as both the first water-containing liquid 12 and the second water-containing liquid 22. However, the first water-containing liquid 12 and the second water-containing liquid 22 do not necessarily need to be pure water.

[0032] Furthermore, adopting the following (a1) to (e1) instead of water is a preferred embodiment because, in addition to the effect that can be achieved in this embodiment, that is, the peritoneum M and the kidney K can be easily cut or removed using only pressurized and ejected liquid, other or additional effects shown in the following (a2) to (e2) can also be achieved. (a1) At least one seasoning liquid selected from the group consisting of umami seasoning liquid, salty seasoning liquid, sweet seasoning liquid, sour seasoning liquid, bitter seasoning liquid, and sauces such as teriyaki sauce and miso sauce. (a2) Seasoning effect (b1) At least one type of sterilizing water selected from the group consisting of sodium hypochlorite water, electrolyzed water (including acidic electrolyzed water, hypochlorous acid water, strong acidic electrolyzed water, slightly acidic electrolyzed water, weak acidic electrolyzed water, neutral electrolyzed water, and electrolyzed hypochlorous water), ozone water, and alkaline ionized water, or alcohols (b2) Bactericidal or sterilizing effect (c1) A water-containing liquid containing at least one selected from the group consisting of a water retention agent, a pH adjuster, and a binder. (c2) Improvement of texture (for example, realization of a firm texture) and / or drip reduction effect due to water retention (d1) A water-containing liquid containing a paste or gel-like water-containing liquid, such as sugar water, starch syrup, or salad oil, with a viscosity of more than 1 mPa·s and not more than 100,000 mPa·s (d2) The effect of being able to more accurately achieve cutting of the peritoneum M or to more easily achieve (reduction of discharge pressure) (e1) A water-containing liquid having at least one sugar content (Brix value of more than 1% and not more than 83%) selected from the group including sugar and liquid sugar (e2) The effect of being able to more accurately achieve cutting of the peritoneum M or to more easily achieve (reduction of discharge pressure)

[0033] (Method for producing processed fish according to the first embodiment) Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing process of processed fish of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the manufacturing process of processed fish of this embodiment includes the following steps (x) and (y). (x) A first discharge step (step S1) of discharging a first water-containing liquid 12 in a straight flow from the ventral side toward the peritoneum M of a fish body F having a kidney K on the dorsal side of the peritoneum M, the first water-containing liquid 12 being discharged from the ventral side toward the peritoneum M and receiving a predetermined pressure when the first water-containing liquid 12 reaches the peritoneum M, after the abdomen has been cut open until the ventral internal organs are exposed from the peritoneum M and the internal organs have been removed. (y) a second discharge step (step S2) of discharging a second water-containing liquid 22 from the ventral side of the fish body F toward the kidney K after at least a part of the peritoneum M has been cut by the first water-containing liquid 12, the second water-containing liquid 22 being discharged from the ventral side of the fish body F toward the kidney K, and the pressure applied to the kidney K when the second water-containing liquid 22 reaches the kidney K is a predetermined pressure.

[0034] In addition, one possible embodiment is to introduce a cleaning process (typically a water washing process) (step S0) before the aforementioned step S1, for example, to remove dirt such as slippery surfaces on the fish body F to be processed.

[0035] In the conveying process of this embodiment, as described above, the fish F is sent by the conveying unit (belt conveyor) 40 toward the processed fish manufacturing system 100 (in the direction indicated by the arrow) with the cut abdomen (more narrowly, the peritoneum M) facing (exposed) toward the first discharge unit 10 and the second discharge unit 20. In this embodiment, the fish F goes through the first discharge process (step S1) and the second discharge process (step S2) described below, and then is cut into two pieces by the rotary blade 60 (towards the pulley 40a and pulley 40b in FIG. 2).

[0036] First, in the first discharge step (step S1), the first discharge unit 10 discharges the first water-containing liquid 12 in a straight flow from the ventral side toward the peritoneum M of the fish body F to be treated, and the pressure that the peritoneum M receives when it reaches the peritoneum M is a predetermined pressure. Here, the predetermined pressure in the first discharge step is a specific numerical range obtained from the examples described below and the results of research and analysis by the inventors.

[0037] As a result, at least a part of the peritoneum M of the fish body F is cut by the first water-containing liquid 12.

[0038] Thereafter, in the second discharge step (step S2), the second discharge unit 20 discharges the second water-containing liquid 22 from the ventral side of the fish body F toward the kidney K of the fish body F to be treated, and the pressure that the kidney K receives when it reaches the kidney K is a predetermined pressure. Here, the predetermined pressure in the second discharge step is a specific numerical range obtained from the examples described below and the results of research and analysis by the present inventors.

[0039] Furthermore, Figure 4 is merely one example showing the manufacturing process of processed fish in this embodiment. For example, in a modified example of the processed fish processing method of this embodiment, another aspect that can be adopted is that processes such as a storage process, freezing process, filleting process, shaping process, seasoning process, and / or packaging process may be performed before or after the second discharge process (step S2) shown in Figure 4, or before or after the fish body F is cut into two pieces by the rotating blade 60.

[0040] As described above, the processed fish manufacturing system 100 and the method for manufacturing the processed fish of this embodiment can accurately cut or remove part of the peritoneum, for example, when processing a fish body F having a kidney K on the dorsal side of the peritoneum M, as shown in FIG. 6 . In addition, the processed fish manufacturing system 100 and the method for manufacturing the processed fish of this embodiment can provide processed fish in which the fish meat has not been damaged by a blade or brush, even if the kidney has been removed. Furthermore, the processed fish of this embodiment can provide processed fish that has excellent appearance and hygiene, because the peritoneum M and kidney K have not been removed by a blade or brush. This can also contribute to increasing the added value of the processed fish.

[0041] <Modification (1) of the First Embodiment> The processed fish manufacturing system 200 and processed fish manufacturing method of this modified example are the same as the processed fish manufacturing system 100 and processed fish manufacturing method of the first embodiment, except that the control unit 90 in the processed fish manufacturing system 100 of the first embodiment has been changed to a manual control means equipped with multiple valves 92a, 92b, the transport mechanism and transport process for the fish bodies F have been changed, and the rotary blade 60 is not provided. Therefore, explanations that overlap with the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0042] Fig. 7 is a side view showing an outline of the configuration of the processed fish manufacturing system 200 in this modified example. Fig. 8 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of the processed fish manufacturing system 200 in this modified example (note that some components are not shown to make the drawings easier to understand).

[0043] In the processed fish manufacturing system 200 of this modified example, the first water-containing liquid 12 and the second water-containing liquid 22 are made into one type of water-containing liquid (typically water) (in other words, supplied from the same supply source), and then, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, a pressure pump 98 sends the water-containing liquid into one storage unit 91 via a pipe 98a. Thereafter, while watching a pressure gauge 94a, a valve (first adjusting valve, hereinafter simply referred to as "valve") 92a is manually adjusted to set the supply pressure of the first water-containing liquid 12 to the first discharge unit 10, and a valve (second adjusting valve, hereinafter simply referred to as "valve") 92b is manually adjusted to set the supply pressure of the second water-containing liquid 22 to the second discharge unit 20, while watching a pressure gauge 94b. As a result, the first water-containing liquid 12 is discharged from the pressurizing pump 98 through the piping 98a, the storage unit 91, the valve 92a, and the piping 96a, and then from the first discharge unit 10 toward the fish F being transported by the transport means described below. The second water-containing liquid 22 is discharged from the pressurizing pump 98 through the piping 98a, the storage unit 91, the valve 92b, and the piping 96b, and then from the second discharge unit 20 toward the fish F being transported by the transport means described below. As explained in the first embodiment, the fish F receives the second water-containing liquid 22 after at least a part of the peritoneum M has been cut or ruptured by the first water-containing liquid 12.

[0044] In addition, in this modified example, a transport mechanism including two transport parts (belt conveyors) 240, 240' is employed instead of the transport part (belt conveyor) 40 for transporting the fish F in the first embodiment.

[0045] Specifically, the conveying mechanism of this modified example includes a first conveying section 240 having pulleys 240a, 240b and belts 242a, 242b, a second conveying section 240' having pulleys 240a', 240b' and belts 244a, 244b, a guide section 50, and a conveying table P.

[0046] As in the first embodiment, the two transport units 240, 240' rotate the belts 242a, 242b, 244a, 244b using a drive control unit 80 that controls the drive of the pulleys 240a, 240b, 240a', 240b' using a drive unit, thereby transporting one or more fish F on the transport table P. In this modified example, from the viewpoint of more accurately removing the kidneys K, the two transport units 240, 240' are provided close to each other (for example, the distance between the first discharge unit 10 and the second discharge unit 20 is within 1 m) in order to shorten the time interval (preferably within 10 seconds) between the treatment (1) described below using the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge unit 10 and the treatment (2) described below using the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge unit 20. (1) A process for cutting at least a portion of the peritoneum M (2) A process that mainly removes the peritoneum M and kidneys K, or a process that removes the peritoneum M and kidneys K and washes the fish meat

[0047] However, the locations of the two conveying units 240, 240' (more specifically, the first discharge unit 10 and the second discharge unit 20) in this modified example are not limited to the example shown in this modified example. As long as the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved, arranging the conveying units 240, 240' at a distance from each other is another aspect that can be adopted from the viewpoint of, for example, facilitating the installation work or maintenance of the first discharge unit 10 and / or the second discharge unit 20.

[0048] Although the processed fish manufacturing system 200 of this modified example does not have a rotary blade 60, it is also possible to cut the fish body F into two pieces using a rotary blade 60 within the manufacturing system 200, as in the manufacturing system 100 of the first embodiment.

[0049] Even when the processed fish manufacturing system 200 of this modified example is adopted, the peritoneum M and kidneys K are not removed with a blade or brush, so it is possible to provide processed fish that are excellent in appearance and hygiene, as in the first embodiment, which can also contribute to increasing the added value of the processed fish.

[0050] <Modification (2) of the First Embodiment> The processed fish manufacturing system 300 and processed fish manufacturing method of this modified example are similar to the processed fish manufacturing system 100 and processed fish manufacturing method of the first embodiment, except that the types of water-containing liquid supplied to the first discharge unit 10 and the second discharge unit 20 in the processed fish manufacturing system 100 of the first embodiment are different, the control unit 90 has been changed to a manual control means equipped with multiple valves 92a and 92b, the fish body F transport mechanism and transport process have been changed, and a rotary blade 60 is not provided. Furthermore, the processed fish manufacturing system 300 and processed fish manufacturing method of modified example (1) of the first embodiment are similar to the processed fish manufacturing system 200 and processed fish manufacturing method of modified example (1) of the first embodiment, except that the types of water-containing liquid supplied to the first discharge unit 10 and the second discharge unit 20 are different. Therefore, explanations that overlap with those of the first embodiment or modified example (1) of the first embodiment may be omitted.

[0051] Fig. 9 is a side view showing an outline of the configuration of the processed fish manufacturing system 300 in this modified example. Fig. 10 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of the processed fish manufacturing system 300 in this modified example (note that some components are not shown to make the drawings easier to understand).

[0052] In the processed fish manufacturing system 300 of this modified example, the first water-containing liquid 12 and the second water-containing liquid 22 are different water-containing liquids, and as shown in Figures 9 and 10, a pressure pump 98a sends the first water-containing liquid (e.g., water) 12 into the storage unit 91a via a pipe 398a. On the other hand, a pressure pump 98b sends the second water-containing liquid (e.g., sodium hypochlorite water) 22 into the storage unit 91b via a pipe 398b.

[0053] Thereafter, while watching the pressure gauge 94a, the valve 92a is manually adjusted to set the supply pressure of the first water-containing liquid 12 to the first discharge section 10, and while watching the pressure gauge 94b, the valve 92b is manually adjusted to set the supply pressure of the second water-containing liquid 22 to the second discharge section 20. As a result, the first water-containing liquid 12 is discharged from the first discharge section 10 via the pipe 398a, the storage section 91a, the valve 92a, and the pipe 96a toward the fish bodies F being transported by the transport means described below. In addition, the second water-containing liquid 22 is discharged from the second discharge section 20 via the pipe 398b, the storage section 91b, the valve 92b, and the pipe 96b toward the fish bodies F being transported by the transport means described below.

[0054] In addition, the conveying mechanism of this modified example includes a first conveying section 240 having pulleys 240a, 240b and belts 242a, 242b, a second conveying section 240' having pulleys 240a', 240b' and belts 244a, 244b, two guide sections 50a, 50b, and a conveying table P.

[0055] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the conveying mechanism of this modified example differs from the conveying mechanism of modified example (1) of the first embodiment in that the guide section 50a corresponding to the first conveying section 240 and the guide section 50b corresponding to the second conveying section 240' are completely separated.

[0056] In this modified example, in order to more reliably remove the kidney K and to stably perform the processes (1) and (2) described below using the guide units 50a and 50b, the two conveying units 240 and 240' are arranged close to each other (for example, the distance between the first discharge unit 10 and the second discharge unit 20 is within 1 m) in order to shorten the time interval (preferably within 10 seconds) between the process (1) described below using the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge unit 10 and the process (2) described below using the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge unit 20. (1) A process for cutting at least a portion of the peritoneum M (2) A process that mainly removes the peritoneum M and kidneys K, or a process that removes the peritoneum M and kidneys K and washes the fish meat

[0057] Even when the processed fish manufacturing system 300 of this modified example is adopted, the peritoneum M and kidneys K are not removed with a blade or brush, so it is possible to provide processed fish with excellent appearance and hygiene, as in the first embodiment. This can also contribute to increasing the added value of the processed fish. As described above, the conveying mechanism of this modified example has a completely separate guide section 50a corresponding to the first conveying section 240 and a guide section 50b corresponding to the second conveying section 240'. Therefore, it is worth noting that cleaning and / or maintenance of the conveying function is significantly easier than cleaning and / or maintenance of the conveying mechanism in the processed fish manufacturing system 100 of the first embodiment.

[0058] <Example> The inventor conducted experiments to investigate the pressure range that allows at least a portion of the peritoneum M to be cut by the first water-containing liquid 12, and the pressure range that allows at least a portion of the peritoneum M and kidney K to be removed by the second water-containing liquid 22, or that removes the peritoneum M and kidney K and washes the fish meat in the fish body F.

[0059] In this experiment, the first water-containing liquid 12 flows in a straight line, and the second water-containing liquid 22 flows in a fan-shaped line. The maximum set discharge pressure of the first discharge part 10 is 18.5 MPa, and the maximum set discharge pressure of the second discharge part 20 is 16 MPa. In this experiment, the first discharge part 10 and the second discharge part 20 are fixed to the storage part 30. In addition, the distance between the tip of the first discharge part 10 and the fish body F was set to be almost zero (for example, 10 mm or less). Similarly, the distance between the tip of the second discharge part 20 and the fish body F was set to be almost zero.

[0060] The inventor first focused on the pressure (hereinafter referred to as "second pressure") at which the fish body F actually receives the first water-containing liquid 12 or the second water-containing liquid 22, rather than the set discharge pressure (hereinafter referred to as "first pressure") of the control unit 90 for the first discharge part 10 and the second discharge part 20. Therefore, a preliminary experiment was conducted to investigate the correlation between the first pressure and the second pressure.

[0061] Specifically, with the distance between a known scale and the tip of the first discharge part 10 being substantially zero, the change in the pressure actually received by the fish F was investigated when the set discharge pressure of the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge part 10 to the scale was changed. Similarly, the change in the pressure actually received by the fish F was investigated when the set discharge pressure of the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge part 20 was changed. As a result, in both cases, a correlation was confirmed in which the pressure actually received by the fish F was directly proportional to the set discharge pressure.

[0062] Based on the results of the above-mentioned preliminary experiment, we actually employed a conveying speed (approximately 100 mm / sec to approximately 600 mm / sec) used by seafood processors in the manufacturing process of normal processed fish for fish body F, and investigated the lower limit pressure (measured value A) and upper limit pressure (measured value B) that would enable the peritoneum M to be completely or almost completely cut by ejecting the first water-containing liquid 12.

[0063] Similarly, we investigated the lower limit pressure (measured value A) and the upper limit pressure (measured value B) that enable complete or almost complete removal of at least partially severed peritoneum M and kidney K by discharging the second water-containing liquid 22, or complete or almost complete removal of peritoneum M and kidney K and washing of the fish meat in the fish body F. Note that each of the above measured values ​​B was set to a pressure that would destroy or break the fish body F (especially the fish meat that is the center of the edible part) to such an extent that it would reduce its commercial value.

[0064] [Example 1] The fish body F in this example is a salmon (more specifically, a sockeye salmon).

[0065] As an example, the first pressure (set discharge pressure) corresponding to the lower limit value of the above-mentioned pressure (measured value A) of the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge part 10 of this embodiment was 2.5 MPa, and the second pressure (pressure actually received by the fish F) was 1.26 MPa. Also, the first pressure corresponding to the above-mentioned measured value A of the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge part 20 of this embodiment was 5 MPa, and the second pressure was 0.0274 MPa.

[0066] As an example, the first pressure corresponding to the upper limit of the pressure (measured value B) of the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge part 10 of this example was 12.5 MPa, and the second pressure was 3.81 MPa. The first pressure corresponding to the above-mentioned measured value B of the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge part 20 of this example was 10 MPa, and the second pressure was 0.0499 MPa.

[0067] [Example 2] The fish F in this example is a yellowtail (sometimes called buri in some regions of Japan).

[0068] As an example, the first pressure (set discharge pressure) corresponding to the lower limit of the pressure (measured value A) of the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge part 10 of this embodiment was 5 MPa, and the second pressure (the pressure actually received by the fish F) was 1.91 MPa. Also, the first pressure corresponding to the measured value A of the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge part 20 of this embodiment was 4 MPa, and the second pressure was 0.0236 MPa.

[0069] As an example, the first pressure corresponding to the upper limit of the pressure (measured value B) of the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge part 10 of this example was 16.5 MPa, and the second pressure was 4.83 MPa. The first pressure corresponding to the above-mentioned measured value B of the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge part 20 of this example was 10 MPa, and the second pressure was 0.0499 MPa.

[0070] Table 1 shows the results of the above-mentioned Examples 1 and 2 as an example.

[0071] [Table 1]

[0072] As shown in Table 1, from the measured values ​​A and B of Examples 1 and 2, the present inventors have found that there is a suitable pressure range for the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge part 10 to be able to cut at least a part of the peritoneum M of the fish body F. The present inventors have also found that there is a suitable pressure range for the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge part 20 to remove the peritoneum M and kidney K of the fish body F, or to remove the peritoneum M and kidney K and wash the fish meat in the fish body F.

[0073] As described above, in the first embodiment, by setting the discharge shape and pressure range of the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge part 10 to a predetermined shape and a suitable range, and by setting the discharge shape and pressure range of the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge part 20 to a predetermined shape and a suitable range, for example, when a fish F having a kidney K on the dorsal side of the peritoneum M is processed as shown in Fig. 6, a processed fish in which the peritoneum has been partially cut or partially removed can be produced with high reliability. Additionally, in the first embodiment, even if the kidney has been removed, a processed fish can be provided in which the fish meat has not been damaged by a blade or brush.

[0074] It is also worth noting that in the first embodiment, highly accurate cutting and removal of the peritoneum M and kidney K can be achieved very easily using only pressurized and ejected water-containing liquid, without using blades or brushes.

[0075] <Other embodiments> Incidentally, in the first embodiment, the first discharge part 10 is fixed, but even if the first discharge part 10 performs a swinging motion, etc., at least a part of the effect of this embodiment can be achieved. For example, when the drive control part 80 controls the transport speed by the transport part 40 so that the relative speed in the direction approaching the first discharge part 10 is 100 mm / sec or more and 600 mm / sec or less (more preferably 350 mm / sec or more and 550 mm / sec or less), it becomes possible to cut at least a part of the peritoneum M with higher accuracy.

[0076] If the conveying speed (or relative speed) is slower than the above-mentioned range, the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge unit 10 will be in contact with the fish bodies F for a longer period of time, which increases the risk of destroying or damaging not only the peritoneum M but also the fish meat, which is the core of the edible part, to such an extent that the commercial value of the fish will be reduced, or of impairing the quality of the processed fish. On the other hand, if the conveying speed (or relative speed) is faster than the above-mentioned range, the first water-containing liquid 12 discharged from the first discharge unit 10 will be in contact with the fish bodies F for a shorter period of time, which increases the risk of the peritoneum M not being cut accurately, and the second water-containing liquid 22 discharged from the second discharge unit 20 will be in contact with the fish bodies F for a shorter period of time, which increases the risk of the peritoneum M and kidneys K cut by the first water-containing liquid 12 not being removed accurately, or the peritoneum M and kidneys K not being removed accurately and the fish meat of the fish bodies F not being washed.

[0077] Similarly, even if the second discharge part 20 is performing a swinging motion, etc., at least a part of the effect of this embodiment can be achieved. For example, when the drive control part 80 controls the transport speed by the transport part 40 so that the relative speed in the direction approaching the second discharge part 20 is 100 mm / sec or more and 600 mm / sec or less (more preferably 350 mm / sec or more and 550 mm / sec or less), it becomes possible to cut at least a part of the peritoneum M with higher accuracy.

[0078] Furthermore, the numerical values ​​related to the first discharge unit 10 shown in Table 1 in the first embodiment indicate values ​​that enable the peritoneum M to be completely or almost completely cut by discharging the first water-containing liquid 12. According to research and analysis by the present inventors, it has been found that in order to enable at least a portion of the peritoneum M to be cut by discharging the first water-containing liquid 12, the pressure that the peritoneum M receives when the first water-containing liquid 12 reaches the peritoneum M should be set to 1.1 MPa or more and 5 MPa or less. From another perspective, the range of the set discharge pressure (first pressure) of the first discharge unit 10 that enables at least a portion of the peritoneum M to be cut by discharging the first water-containing liquid 12 is 1.8 MPa or more and 18 MPa or less.

[0079] Similarly, the numerical values ​​related to the second discharge unit 20 shown in Table 1 indicate values ​​that enable the peritoneum M and kidney K cut by the first water-containing liquid 12 to be completely or almost completely removed by discharging the second water-containing liquid 22, or that enable the peritoneum M and kidney K to be completely or almost completely removed and the fish meat to be washed in the fish body F. According to the research and analysis of the present inventor, it has been found that in order to remove the peritoneum M and kidney K to a commercially acceptable level by discharging the second water-containing liquid 22, or to remove the peritoneum M and kidney K to a commercially acceptable level and the fish meat to be washed in the fish body F, the pressure that the kidney K receives when the second water-containing liquid 22 reaches the kidney K should be set to 0.02 MPa or more and 0.06 MPa or less. From another perspective, the set discharge pressure (first pressure) of the second discharge unit 20 that enables the first water-containing liquid 12 to cut at least a part of the peritoneum M is in the range of 3 MPa or more and 13 MPa or less.

[0080] In the first embodiment, the temperatures of the first water-containing liquid 12 and the second water-containing liquid 22 are approximately 10°C, but the temperatures can be selected appropriately as long as they are within a temperature range in which at least a part of the effects of the present embodiment can be achieved by contacting the first water-containing liquid 12 and the second water-containing liquid 22 with the fish body F. A typical temperature range is higher than -114°C and not higher than 60°C (more preferably, not lower than 4°C and not higher than 20°C).

[0081] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the distance between the tip of the first discharge part 10 and the fish body F and the distance between the tip of the second discharge part 20 and the fish body F were almost zero, but the distances can be selected appropriately as long as at least part of the effect of this embodiment is achieved by the contact of the first water-containing liquid 12 and the second water-containing liquid 22 with the fish body F in the first embodiment. A typical range of the distances is more than 0 mm and not more than 70 mm (more preferably more than 0 mm and not more than 30 mm).

[0082] 1 to 3, in a modified example of this embodiment, the direction of discharge of each water-containing liquid from the first discharge part 10 and / or the second discharge part 20 can be tilted. For example, when the vertical downward direction is 0°, the first discharge part 10 and / or the second discharge part 20 can discharge not only in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the fish body F (i.e., 0°), but also in a direction tilted at an angle greater than 0° and less than 90° in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the fish body F, or when the vertical downward direction is 0°, the first discharge part 10 and / or the second discharge part 20 can discharge in a direction tilted at an angle greater than 0° and less than 90° toward the moving direction of the fish body F. Note that when the direction of discharge from the first discharge part 20 is tilted, the distance between the outlet and the fish body F becomes longer, so it is necessary to adjust the angle of the discharge direction within the numerical range of the second pressure that can achieve the effects of the first embodiment.

[0083] Furthermore, in the above-described variants (1) and (2) of the first embodiment, manual control means having a plurality of valves 92a, 92b is described, but another aspect that can be adopted is that the plurality of valves 92a, 92b are automatically controlled by the control unit 90, for example, using a servo motor, instead of being manually controlled.

[0084] As described above, the disclosure of the above-mentioned embodiments, modifications, and examples has been described for the purpose of explaining those embodiments, modifications, and examples, and is not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, other modifications within the scope of the present invention, including other combinations based on the embodiments and modifications, are also included in the scope of the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0085] The processed fish manufacturing system and method, as well as the processed fish, of the present invention are extremely useful not only in the food, restaurant, and fisheries industries, but also in various industries that handle the processed fish (such as the aviation and railway industries). [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] F Fish body K Kidney M Peritoneum 10 1st discharge part 12 1st water-containing liquid 20 Second discharge part 22 Second water-containing liquid 30 Storage section 40,240,240' conveyor section 40a, 40b, 240a, 240b, 240a', 240b' pulleys 42a, 42b, 242a, 242b, 244a, 244b Belt 50,350 Guide section 52 Edge 60 Rotary Blade 80 Drive control unit 90 Control Unit 91, 91a, 91b Storage section 92a, 92b valves 94a, 94b Pressure gauge 96a, 96b, 98, 398a, 398b Piping 98, 98a, 98b Pressure pump 100,200,300 Processed fish production system

Claims

1. a first discharge unit that discharges a physiologically acceptable straight flow of a first water-containing liquid from the ventral side of a fish body having a kidney on the dorsal side of the peritoneum, the fish body having the abdomen cut open until the ventral internal organs are exposed from the peritoneum, and the first water-containing liquid is then discharged from the ventral side of the fish body from which the internal organs have been removed, and the pressure that the peritoneum receives when the first water-containing liquid reaches the peritoneum is 1.1 MPa or more and 5 MPa or less; and a second discharge part that discharges a physiologically acceptable second water-containing liquid from the abdominal side toward the kidney after at least a part of the peritoneum has been cut or ruptured by the first water-containing liquid, the second water-containing liquid being subjected to a pressure of 0.02 MPa or more and 0.06 MPa or less when it reaches the kidney. Processed fish production system.

2. the first water-containing liquid and the second water-containing liquid are supplied from the same source; The processed fish production system according to claim 1.

3. a transport unit for transporting the fish; a control unit that controls the conveying speed of the conveying unit so that the relative speed in the direction approaching the first discharge unit is 100 mm / sec or more and 600 mm / sec or less, The system for producing processed fish according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The second discharge section discharges one type of the second water-containing liquid selected from the group consisting of a fan-shaped flow, a trapezoidal flow, a straight flow, a rotational flow, a film-like flow, a pyramidal flow, and a conical flow. The system for producing processed fish according to claim 1 or 2.

5. a first discharge step of discharging a physiologically acceptable straight flow of a first water-containing liquid from the ventral side of a fish body having kidneys on the dorsal side of the peritoneum, the fish having the abdomen cut open until the ventral internal organs are exposed from the peritoneum, and the first water-containing liquid is discharged from the ventral side of the fish body from which the internal organs have been removed toward the peritoneum, the first water-containing liquid exerting a pressure of 1.1 MPa or more and 5 MPa or less when the first water-containing liquid reaches the peritoneum; and a second discharge step of discharging a physiologically acceptable second water-containing liquid that is discharged from the abdominal side toward the kidney after at least a portion of the peritoneum has been cut or ruptured by the first water-containing liquid, and that exerts a pressure of 0.02 MPa or more and 0.06 MPa or less on the kidney when the second water-containing liquid reaches the kidney. Methods for producing processed fish.

6. In the first discharge step, a transport step is further provided in which the fish is transported at a relative speed of 100 mm / sec or more and 600 mm / sec or less in a direction approaching the first discharge part that discharges the first water-containing liquid. The method for producing processed fish according to claim 5.

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