In-line grinding is not new technology, but it offers some unique advantages to those who haven’t previously considered it. The in-line grinding process involves a grinder head being placed on a stuffer just ahead of the linking or sizing devices. This streamlines the process by eliminating a traditional grinder and a handling step or two that traditionally have occurred between grinding and stuffing.
With this process, the meat doesn’t have to be transported from the grinder to the stuffer by either dump buckets or conveyors, and as a result, less space is required. Being a closed system reduces the potential for environmental contamination, whether it is biological, physical or chemical.