Various mechanisms for reducing food waste in a food waste disposer are
disclosed. In each of the reduction mechanisms, structures are provided
for shearing food waste as it passes through or past a rotating shredder
plate of the disposer. Each of the reduction mechanism has a rotatable
plate having a plurality of lugs positioned for rotation relative to an
inner wall of a stationary ring. In one embodiment, the reduction
mechanism includes a horizontal toothed ledge positioned above the
stationary ring is used to enhance grinding the food waste. In another
embodiment, the reduction mechanism includes a vertical rasping surface
positioned above the stationary ring. In yet another embodiment, the
reduction mechanism includes serrated edges added to the vertical leading
edges of the teeth on the stationary ring.