Method and apparatus for evacuating pockets of injected fluid in meat products

1. A meat injection machine, comprising,

a longitudinal movable conveyor surface on the machine;

a fluid injection station on the machine for injecting fluid into a meat product on the conveyor surface;

a second station on the machine downstream of the fluid injection station;

means at the second station for applying compressive pressure to the injected meat and for penetrating the meat with a plurality of projecting elements to create a plurality of fluid conduits in the injected meat wherein the compressive pressure forces fluid out of the injected meat through the fluid conduits when the projecting elements penetrate the pockets of fluid;

wherein the projecting elements are needles and the compressive force is applied to the meat by a smooth circular wheel; and

wherein the means for applying the compressive pressure and the plurality of projecting elements are positioned such that there is compressive pressure on the meat when the plurality of projecting elements penetrate the meat to create the plurality of fluid conduits.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein the second station is comprised of a needle penetration assembly followed by a wheel that exerts compressive force on the meat.

3. A method of evacuating pockets of injected fluid in meat products, comprising,

taking a quantity of meat that has been injected with fluid and wherein pockets of fluid have accumulated in the meat,

applying compressive pressure to the injected meat and penetrating the meat with a plurality of projecting elements to create a plurality of fluid conduits in the injected meat wherein the compressive pressure will force fluid out of the injected meat through the fluid conduits when the projecting elements penetrate the pockets of fluid;

wherein the projecting elements are needles and the compressive force is applied to the meat by a smooth circular wheel; and

wherein the means for applying the compressive pressure and the plurality of projecting elements are positioned such that there is compressive pressure on the meat when the plurality of projecting elements penetrate the meat to create the plurality of fluid conduits.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the meat is on a longitudinally moving conveyor which first moves the meat through a meat injection station, and then moves the meat to a second station where it is subjected to penetration by projecting elements and subjected to compressive pressure.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the second station is comprised of a needle penetration assembly followed by a wheel that exerts compressive force on the meat.