received by the International Bureau on 04 April 2016 (04.04.2016)

We claim:

1. A cutting head, with a central axis, an interior, an exterior, a top, and a bottom, for slicing food product to form sliced food product, said cutting head comprising:

at least one blade secured to the cutting head,

wherein the at least one blade comprises a cutting edge inwardly directed towards the interior of the cutting head and oriented to cut the food product as the food product rotates along the interior of the cutting head in a direction of rotation,

wherein a portion of the cutting edge comprises a plurality of points,

wherein for each point in the plurality of points, a corresponding plane for the point passes through the point and contains the central axis, and

wherein for each point in the plurality of points, as viewed from the central axis and along the corresponding plane for the point, a tangent to the cutting edge at the point is at an angle to the corresponding plane.

2. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein the at least one blade is curved to provide a gap with an approximately constant width along a length of the gap so that the sliced food product which passes through the gap as the food product is cut has substantially parallel, sliced faces.

3. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein slicing food product with the cutting head results in a reduction in yield loss of at least 0.5%.

4. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein, when the cutting edge slices food product, a total force of the food product against the cutting edge has a component parallel to the cutting edge to provide a cleaning force.

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5. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein a gap is present between the cutting edge and another component of the cutting head such that sliced food product passes through the gap when food product is cut by the cutting edge, and wherein a width of the gap is constant along an entire length of the gap.

6. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein the portion of the cutting edge is less than an entire length of the cutting edge, greater than 50% of the cutting edge and continuous.

7. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein for each point along the portion of the cutting edge, the angle is the same angle.

8. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein the angle is greater than 0° to about positive 45° or less than 0° to about negative 45°.

9. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein the interior of the cutting head comprises a wall and wherein the wall is angled away from or towards the central axis from the bottom to the top of the cutting head so that, when the cutting head is used to slice food product, the food product tends to travel up or down, respectively, the wall of the cutting head as the food product is being sliced.

10. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein the cutting head is cylindrical and stationary, wherein the cutting head comprises a plurality of slicing shoes, wherein each slicing shoe comprises a blade, and wherein the slicing shoes are interchangeable.

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11. A cutting head, with a central axis, an interior, an exterior, a top, and a bottom, for slicing food product to form sliced food product, said cutting head oriented with respect to a first plane that is a planar projection of the central axis through a point on the cutting head, said cutting head oriented with respect to a second plane, which second plane also passes through the point, which second plane is perpendicular to the first plane, and which second plane is parallel to the central axis, and said cutting head oriented with respect to a first line that is an orthogonal projection of the central axis onto the second plane and passes through the point, said cutting head comprising:

at least one blade secured to the cutting head, wherein the at least one blade comprises a cutting edge,

wherein the cutting edge is inwardly directed towards the interior of the cutting head and oriented to cut the food product as the food product rotates along the interior of the cutting head in a direction of rotation,

wherein the point on the cutting head is a point on the cutting edge,

wherein a second line is a tangent to the cutting edge at the point,

wherein a third line is an orthogonal projection of the second line onto the second plane,

wherein, for each point along a portion of the cutting edge, the first line and the third line are at an angle.

12. The cutting head of claim 1 1, wherein the at least one blade is curved to provide a gap with an approximately constant width along a length of the gap so that the sliced food product which passes through the gap as the food product is cut has substantially parallel, sliced faces.

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13. The cutting head of claim 11, wherein slicing food product with the cutting head results in a reduction in yield loss of at least 0.5%.

14. The cutting head of claim 11, wherein, when the cutting edge slices food product, a total force of the food product against the cutting edge has a component parallel to the cutting edge to provide a cleaning force.

15. The cutting head of claim 11, wherein a gap is present between the cutting edge and another component of the cutting head such that sliced food product passes through the gap when food product is cut by the cutting edge, and wherein a width of the gap is constant along an entire length of the gap.

16. The cutting head of claim 11, wherein the portion of the cutting edge is less than an entire length of the cutting edge, greater than 50% of the cutting edge and continuous.

17. The cutting head of claim 11, wherein for each point along the portion of the cutting edge, the angle is the same angle.

18. The cutting head of claim 11, wherein the angle is greater than 0° to about positive 45° or less than 0° to about negative 45°.

19. The cutting head of claim 11, wherein the interior of the cutting head comprises a wall and wherein the wall is angled away from or towards the central axis from the bottom to the top of the cutting head so that, when the cutting head is used to slice food product, the food

4 product tends to travel up or down, respectively, the wall of the cutting head as the food product is being sliced.

20. The cutting head of claim 1 1, wherein the cutting head is cylindrical and stationary, wherein the cutting head comprises a plurality of slicing shoes, wherein each slicing shoe comprises a blade, and wherein the slicing shoes are interchangeable.

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21. A method for making a sliced food product using a centrifugal -type slicing machine, said slicing machine having an impeller with an axis of rotation surrounded by a cutting head, said cutting head comprising at least one slicing shoe, wherein each said at least one slicing shoe has an interior, an exterior, a top, a bottom, a first end, a second end, and at least one blade secured to the first end of said slicing shoe, said method comprising the steps of:

a) inserting at least one food product into said cutting head;

b) causing said impeller to rotate such that the at least one food product is forced away from the axis of rotation and towards the interior of said at least one slicing shoe; and c) slicing said at least one food product with a cutting edge of said at least one blade, wherein the cutting edge is inwardly directed towards the impeller to slice the at least one food product in a cutting direction at each point along a length of the cutting edge, and wherein a tangent to the cutting edge is oriented at an angle away from a normal plane to the cutting direction at each point along a portion of the length of the cutting edge, thereby producing sliced food product.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one blade is curved to provide a gap with an approximately constant width along a length of the gap so that the sliced food product which passes through the gap as the food product is cut has substantially parallel, sliced faces.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein slicing food product with the cutting head results in a reduction in yield loss of at least 0.18% relative to the yield loss associated with a second cutting head that is the same as the cutting head of claim 21 and used in the same way as the cutting head of claim 21 , except that the tangent to the cutting edge of the second cutting

6 head is not oriented at an angle away from the normal plane to the cutting direction at each point along the portion of the length of the cutting edge.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein, when the cutting edge slices food product, a total force of the food product against the cutting edge has a component parallel to the cutting edge to provide a cleaning force.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein a gap is present between the cutting edge and another component of the cutting head such that sliced food product passes through the gap when food product is cut by the cutting edge, and wherein a width of the gap is constant along an entire length of the gap.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the portion of the cutting edge is less than an entire length of the cutting edge, greater than 50% of the cutting edge and continuous.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein for each point along the portion of the cutting edge, the angle is the same angle.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the angle is greater than 0° to about positive 45° or less than 0° to about negative 45°.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein an interior of the cutting head comprises a wall and wherein the wall is angled away from or towards a central axis of the cutting head from a bottom to a top of the cutting head so that, when the cutting head is used to slice food

7 product, the food product tends to travel up or down, respectively, the wall of the cutting head as the food product is being sliced.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the cutting head is cylindrical and stationary, wherein the cutting head comprises a plurality of slicing shoes, wherein each slicing shoe comprises a blade, and wherein the slicing shoes are interchangeable.

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31. A slicing shoe having first and second ends for use with a centrifugal -type slicer, said centrifugal-type slicer having a cutting head and an impeller, which impeller rotates food product against the cutting head in a direction of rotation for the production of sliced food product, said slicing shoe comprising:

a blade with a cutting edge inwardly directed towards the impeller, said cutting edge oriented to slice the food product in a cutting direction at each point along a length of the cutting edge, wherein a tangent to the cutting edge is oriented at an angle away from a normal plane to the cutting direction at each point along a portion of the length of the cutting edge.

32. The slicing shoe of claim 31, wherein the blade is curved to provide a gap with an approximately constant width along a length of the gap so that the sliced food product which passes through the gap as the food product is cut has substantially parallel, sliced faces.

33. The slicing shoe of claim 31, wherein slicing food product with the cutting head results in a reduction in yield loss of at least 0.18% relative to the yield loss associated with a second cutting head that is the same as the cutting head of claim 31 and used in the same way as the cutting head of claim 31, except that the tangent to the cutting edge of the second cutting head is not oriented at an angle away from the normal plane to the cutting direction at each point along the portion of the length of the cutting edge.

34. The slicing shoe of claim 31, wherein, when the cutting edge slices food product, a total force of the food product against the cutting edge has a component parallel to the cutting edge to provide a cleaning force.

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35. The slicing shoe of claim 31, wherein a gap is present between the cutting edge and another component of the cutting head such that sliced food product passes through the gap when food product is cut by the cutting edge, and wherein a width of the gap is constant along an entire length of the gap.

36. The slicing shoe of claim 31, wherein the portion of the cutting edge is less than an entire length of the cutting edge, greater than 50% of the cutting edge and continuous.

37. The slicing shoe of claim 31, wherein for each point along the portion of the cutting edge, the angle is the same angle.

38. The slicing shoe of claim 31, wherein the angle is greater than 0° to about positive 45° or less than 0° to about negative 45°.

39. The slicing shoe of claim 31, wherein an interior of the cutting head comprises a wall and wherein the wall is angled away from or towards a central axis of the cutting head from the bottom to the top of the cutting head so that, when the cutting head is used to slice food product, the food product tends to travel up or down, respectively, the wall of the cutting head as the food product is being sliced.

40. The slicing shoe of claim 31, wherein the cutting head is cylindrical and stationary, wherein the cutting head comprises a plurality of slicing shoes, wherein each slicing shoe comprises a blade, and wherein the slicing shoes are interchangeable.

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41. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein the cutting edge is oriented to cut the food product in a cutting direction at each point in the plurality of points, and wherein for each point in the plurality of points, the tangent to the cutting edge is oriented at an angle away from a normal plane to the cutting direction.

42. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein the cutting edge is oriented to cut the food product in a cutting direction, and wherein the length of the cutting edge is generally oriented at an angle away from a normal plane to the cutting direction.

43. The cutting head of claim 3, wherein the reduction in yield loss is relative to the yield loss associated with a second cutting head that is the same as the cutting head of claim 1 and used in the same way as the cutting head of claim 1, except that, for the second cutting head, for each point in the plurality of points, as viewed from the central axis and along the corresponding plane for the point, the tangent to the cutting edge at the point is not at an angle to the corresponding plane.

44. The cutting head of claim 1, wherein slicing food product with the cutting head results in a reduction in yield loss of at least 0.18%, wherein the reduction in yield loss is relative to the yield loss associated with a second cutting head that is the same as the cutting head of claim 1 and used in the same way as the cutting head of claim 1, except that, for the second cutting head, for each point in the plurality of points, as viewed from the central axis and along the corresponding plane for the point, the tangent to the cutting edge at the point is not at an angle to the corresponding plane.

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45. The cutting head of claim 1 1, wherein the cutting edge is oriented to cut the food product in a cutting direction at each point in the plurality of points, and wherein for each point in the plurality of points, the tangent to the cutting edge is oriented at an angle away from a normal plane to the cutting direction.

46. The cutting head of claim 1 1, wherein the cutting edge is oriented to cut the food product in a cutting direction, and wherein the length of the cutting edge is generally oriented at an angle away from the normal plane to the cutting direction.

47. The cutting head of claim 13, wherein the reduction in yield loss is relative to the yield loss associated with a second cutting head that is the same as the cutting head of claim 11 and used in the same way as the cutting head of claim 1 1, except that, for the second cutting head, for each point along the portion of the cutting edge, the first line and the third line are not at an angle to the corresponding plane.

48. The cutting head of claim 1 1, wherein slicing food product with the cutting head results in a reduction in yield loss of at least 0.18%, wherein the reduction in yield loss is relative to the yield loss associated with a second cutting head that is the same as the cutting head of claim 1 1 and used in the same way as the cutting head of claim 1 1, except that, for the second cutting head, for each point along the portion of the cutting edge, the first line and the third line are not at an angle to the corresponding plane.

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