Design, calculation and use of the multipurpose vacuum ground meat mixer
Ground meat mixers mixing minced muscle tissue with other pre-formulated ingredients, are among the most common types of specialized meat processing equipment. The quality of minced meat, this being a food dispersed medium, including a solid, liquid and, in part, a gas phase, is determined by the dispersity and uniformity of its structure, as well as the uniformity of the distribution of components, that is, by the efficiency of the mixing process. The research carried out made it possible to theoretically substantiate the processes of mixing minced meat with the help of specialized technological equipment, including that providing vacuuming of processed food masses. A list of regulatory requirements for the structures of industrial meat mixers, which determine their technological efficiency, safety and hygiene, is given. Two main layouts of the specified equipment are described, horizontal and vertical. The design of a horizontal compact vacuum meat mixer with a coaxial double working spiral is presented. The results of work on the creation of a model range of vertical vacuum meat mixers are described, the possibility of using vertical vacuum machines for maceration by massaging medium-sized and small-sized meat raw materials is proven. It is advisable to carry out such a transformation of the equipment by replacing the working bodies of mixing with special massaging arms, these ensuring the most efficient performance of the specified technological operation. The diagram is presented, the design is described and the working cycle of the vertical vacuum machine with the geometric capacity of the working bowl is 0.15 m<sup>3</sup> is described; the main technological and dynamic calculations of the said machine are given. The calculations made it possible to create an advanced non-metal-intensive design of a vacuum machine for mixing minced meat and/or massaging meat raw materials, which meets current requirements for equipment of the purpose. Studies of the quality of mixing of ground meat have shown that vacuuming makes it possible to consistently achieve a better density of minced meat, and for minced meat processed on an atmospheric mixer, a more uniform distribution of components was characteristic.