Every Fillet Deserves a Perfect Finish

What do consumers expect from a fillet? Great appearance, obviously. The fillet needs to look delicious, healthy and fresh to attract customers. But most importantly, a fillet is expected to be boneless; no ifs or buts. The consumer wants to enjoy their delicacy free of fishbones.

BAADER has come up with several finishing solutions that enhance the value of products made from fillets. The BAADER 867 pin bone remover takes off the vast majority of bones without breaking them. Any remaining pin bone can easily be removed with the 75 semi-automatic hand-held pin bone tool. On top of that, an optional BAADER 240 or FDS 2000-2 skinning machine might be used to take off the skin reliably and yield saving. Because every fillet deserves a perfect finish.

Pin bone removal – a science in its own right

A lot of scientific research has been done in recent years to achieve the best results. “There is a complete science around that field” explains Dennis Schreiber, vice president sales and services at BAADER, in the Finishing Solution episode of the Salmon Sessions. This science is not just focusing on the process of removing the pin bones itself, it also examines the influencing factors process upstream. The pin boning machine's performance substantially depends on the filleting process. What the animal was fed, or the stress levels it was exposed to have an impact on the effort required to remove the pin bones, for example. The extent to which the pin bones are sticking out of the fillet depends on the machine it was filleted with. The more the pin bones protrude, the better they can be grabbed by the machine. All components of the BAADER 867 interact well balanced to achieve clean fillets of extraordinary quality and appearance.

Gaining the highest yield

The BAADER 867 “divides the incoming stream of trimmed fillets from two to six lanes by parallel pushers”, Nils Rabe, one of our experts in the finishing solution episode, explains. “This process reduces the individual processing speed of each track while maintaining the line speed.” Adjustable fork pressure makes the pin bone heads stick out. The patented double grip rollers gently remove the pin bones while significantly reducing the applied pressure to the fillets. This causes less damage and reduces the weight loss for higher yield. The vacuum connection safely removes pulled pin bones for a clean fillet without extra wash & dry.

To save water and energy, the machine is equipped with an eco-mode, stopping it automatically if no fillet is detected for a certain amount of time. The BAADER 867 improves the efficiency of the production flow and helps to maintain the highest yield and quality.

Final inspection

For the final step to reach a nearly pin bone-free product, the BAADER 75 semi-automatic pin bone tool is applied. It can be used for salmon as well as wild salmon and sea trout. The latest version is about ten per cent lighter than its predecessor, highly efficient and safe. The operators just slide the tool across the fillets, easily removing any remaining pin bones. An integrated safety lever stops spinning the pin bone wheel upon release. For flexibility purposes, right and left-hand versions are available.

Perfect skinning results

Baader offers different skinning technologies. Depending on the required purpose either traditional or freezing drum technology can be the right choice. The BAADER 240 skinning machine for example is a flexible and versatile skinning solution. It provides three different skinning methods: deep, shallow and very shallow. The machine is designed for processing fresh and smoked salmon, wild salmon and sea trout.

It provides a great option for smoked fillets: skin and fillet can be re-merged automatically after skinning for a stunning appearance in store. The BAADER 240 is available in single and double lane configuration. Fast skinning and easy adjustment even during operation make the machine so easy to handle. Yield-loss in the tail section is minimized by the easy-grip function. The skin itself can be used as co-product offering even more profit-making options. Collagen and gelatine for human and animal consumption or in cosmetic pharmaceutical products.

Easy cleaning and maintenance

The pin bone remover and the skinning machine are reliable and easy to clean and maintain. As Joey Steinig, Service Technician at BAADER responsible for on-site customer service, explains in the finishing solution episode of the Salmon Sessions, “ the BAADER 867 offers an open, easy to use design.“ The pin bone rear protecting cover is transparent, so the operators can see whether everything is running smoothly or if the bones got stuck in an unfortunate case.

“Without any tools, you can access the line freely and take all necessary actions during operation”, highlights Steinig. Due to pre-selected recipes, it is possible to adapt the machine to different fish dimensions or species, even during processing. This is to show that BAADER solutions provide the perfect product results as well as making the day-to-day work a lot easier for the operators.

Watch the Salmon Sessions

In the Finishing Session, Chris Brow and Dennis Schreiber, explore the solutions BAADER has to offer to achieve the perfect fillet. Streaming is available on-demand on BAADER Stream.

Meet the Experts