Cutting fish and poultry with high-pressure waterjet ensures a higher price per kilo

Scanvaegt Systems now introduces the new Marelec waterjet portion cutter - PortioJet - for cutting fish and poultry. With great precision the solution can optimize the yield of the raw material and ensure a higher price per kilo.

With a new high-pressure cutting technology, the processing company can simultaneously optimize earnings and reduce waste on cutting salmon and white fish.

"PortioJet cuts using high-pressure water jets that can cut the fish at various angles and portion sizes – practically in a “crisscross””. This means that the company can now more easily optimize the raw materials by producing the cuts that are most valuable - it is exactly the same as we see it when cutting beef, "says Peter Toft, international business manager at Scanvaegt Systems A / S.

He continues; “For example, the price of the piece on the salmon's back is much higher than the price on the rest of the fish. That cut is called loin and is the fish's tenderloin, which is of a better quality than the fillet. By cutting larger loins, the company will be able to increase earnings by up to 4% ”.

If salmon is to be used for sushi, then loin is used. The fillet, which is the largest piece of salmon, is followed by the piece by the tail, which can be cut into small squares and used for, for example, salad.

Two cameras in PortioJet measure the height, length and width of the product in a split second and ensure precise cutting. The standard machine is equipped with two high-pressure heads, which sit on separate robot arms. Modules can be purchased so that the cutting capacity can be expanded to eight cutting heads.

"Other advantages of the waterjet machine are that it is hygienically designed and cuts with 100 percent clean water," says Peter Toft.

In addition to salmon, the cutting technology is also designed for cutting white fish such as cod, halibut, plaice, saithe, Alaska pollock and hake. The program also includes waterjet portion cutters for cutting chicken, pork and beef.