Vol 1~Iss 3, Meat Packing Journal, July~August 2014

THE INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE FOR THE MEAT AND POULTRY INDUSTRY

P.24

MAKE THE MOST OF TURKEY DEMAND

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UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF ADDITIVES

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BOOST REVENUE WITH WASTEWATER

MEAT PACKING J O U R N A L

COMMUNICATE QUALITY MPJ REVIEWS CONSUMER UNDERSTANDING OF QUALITY AND IMPACT ON BUYING HABITS

DEBONING

MAXIMISING YIELD AND SPEED ARE THE DRIVERS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN DEBONING

JULY~AUGUST 2014 VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 3 ISSN 2054-4677

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Editor's choice

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eat quality is a hot topic in the industry. The recession has increased demand for high quality meat products and processed foods in supermarkets. But there is a staggering gap between the consumers' perception of quality and the actual quality. Technical Editor James Chappelow explores this gap.

Take control of quality, page 16-23

www.meatpacking.info

he meat industry's labour pool is shallow. On a global scale, slaughterhouses and processors are reporting difficulty hiring new workers and a poor employee retention rate, with the number of staff staying more than a year greatly diminishing.

The image of working life in the meat industry is not helped by major news organisations in Europe and North America reporting claims of slave labour in the food manufacturing industry - with the resulting products ending up on supermarket shelves. Nor are people enticed into the industry by undercover exposĂŠs showing cruelty to animals in the slaughter process.

Though the general perception of the meat industry may be a challenge to attracting labour, and one that is not entirely the industry's fault, there is no denying that it is our fault that we can't retain our staff. And this failing is hitting our bottom line.

As there are fewer people with the skills, experience and willingness to work in the industry, labour costs are going up and companies are incurring futher costs in having to train new staff.

The current staff shortages in Canada offer a warning to the rest of the industry. According to the Canadian Meat Council (CMC) meat processors are shorts hundreds of staff and as a result Canadian cattle and hogs are being shipped to the US for slaughter. CMC stated that not

humanoids will begin to replace humans in meat plants enough Canadians want to work in meat plants that are often located in rural areas and require physically demanding labour.

Meanwhile, in Denmark, meat processing companies are under pressure following a six percent wage hike, pushing major players in the industry such as Danish Crown to pursue further cost reduction programmes at plants in a bid to maintain margins at existing levels.

If we are not able to control labour prices we may need to pursue the alternatives, a recent visit to Belgian meat processing company Veviba is evidence that companies are moving forward with solutions to the industry's labour problems. Veviba, a producer of Belgian Blue, is unique in the Benelux region as it does everything under one roof; breeding, slaughtering, cutting and packaging. Remarkably, the company produces more than 50,000 self-service packs of beef every day with only 250 employees, of which only a small proportion are skilled workers.

Veviba has been focusing on the optimisation of its supply chain for many years, and the company is further looking to incorporate high levels of automation (see upcoming feature in MPJ September~October 2014).

The article on deboning in this issue (pp.32-39) highlights how the industry, which has a long history of being labour intensive especially in the cutting and deboning lines, is more readily introducing automation technology. There are also manufacturers that believe humanoids will begin to replace humans in meat plants in as little as two years.

The industry typically requires an expected payback time of the machine price in less than three years. Higher labour costs will push more processors to implement automation technology.

Rhian Owen rhian@meatpacking.info @Meat_Packing

July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 3

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News

the latest news from around the world and across the industry

news inDepth

A look at the Tyson Foods attempt to buy Hillshire foods

meat quality

Consumer understanding of quality leaves a lot to be desired. James Chappelow looks at what the consumer sees and how the meat industry can better communicate quality

Turkey

Turkey suffers from seasonal fluctuations like no other meat.

Alex Conacher speaks with the US National Turkey Federation to see how it is combating the issue

deboning

Speed and yeild are driving development in deboning equipment. Meanwhile, increasing labour costs are driving takeup.

Rhian Owen looks at the issues

Skinning

Getting the temperature right and avoiding water are key to fast and effective skinning.

Rhian Owen reports

ADDITIVES

James Chappelow looks at additives available to meat processors and the role they play

WASTEWATER

Wastewater treatment is often seen as a cost to running a processing plant. Tom Burnett looks at how this cost could become a revenue

show time

A look at the ongoings at the Shanghai Meat Expo July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 5

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Swedish stores boycott Danish pork

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anis officials have raised concerns over a growing number of Swedish ICA Supermarket stores boycotting the sale of Danish pork.

The boycott, which began at ICA Norrköp in Norrtälje in April, has expanded to include some 20 independently-owned ICA supermarkets. The boycott, due to animal welfare concern, gained traction following a type of MRSA-bacteria that has become resistant against antibiotics.

Annie Lööf, Swedish enterprise minister, has fuelled the controversy claiming that there should be no more Danish pork in Swedish schools, claiming that Denmark is violating EU law on tail docking.

It is immoral that schools are buying meat from European farms where the animals are subjected to

Foster Farms continues to reduce salmonella USA: US poultry company Foster Farms recently revealed it is continuing to reduce salmonella levels in its products. The company stated it is committed to leadership in food safety.

The company says since late 2013 it uses a 'multiple-hurdle' approach to reduce or eliminate salmonella at each stage of production – including screening breeder flocks before entering the system, enhancing procedures on the farms where the birds are raised, and adding sanitation interventions in the plants where the chicken is processed as a whole bird and when it is cut into parts.

Foster Farms stated that it has effectively reduced salmonella at the parts level to less than 10 percent, below the USDA measured industry benchmark of 25 percent.

OSI in JV with Canada's Select Ready Foods canada: Meat and poultry producer OSI Group, recently announced that it is joining forces with Select Ready Foods of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, creating a new company named OSI Select Ready Foods.

The addition of OSI Select Ready Foods to the OSI Group portfolio www.meatpacking.info

unnecessary suffering,” Lööf told Sweden's Expressen.

Lööf urges group leaders to put pressure on countries such as Denmark: “If other countries fail to grasp the importance of animal welfare when we explain it to them, we should use public sector spending to put pressure on them,” said Lööf. “The EU Pigs Directive, which has been in force for more than a year, must be observed by Denmark and others.”

The Danish Agriculture and Food Council, which refutes the allegation that Denmark is violating the EU's rules on tail docking, is concerned about the Swedish rhetoric. Martin Merrild, the council’s chairman, said he finds it 'surprising' that a Swedish minister would react this way, calling it an 'unreasonable' and 'unjustified smear campaign'.

brings the total number of countries in which OSI operates to 17.

"We are pleased to partner with a successful, high quality company like Select Ready Foods," said Dave McDonald, president and COO, OSI Group. "We are confident of the growth possibilities for this business."

Tech firm strikes deal with Namibian processor Namibia: Irish-owned company Emydex Technology, has signed a deal with with the Meat Corporation of Namibia in Africa (MeatCo) to provide it with software solutions.

The two-year €300,000 (US$406,155) contract will involve six separate MeatCo sites in the Sub-Saharan country. The deal has also driven increases in Emydex Technology's workforce; it is to create 20 full-time software jobs in Dublin over the next eighteen months, doubling its workforce.

David McMahon, CEO of Emydex Technology, said the company is benefitting from export-led growth in the Agri-food sector. “Thanks to the solid growth in Irish food exports, there is a corresponding growth in demand for more sophisticated and robust software systems for production management, reporting and traceability," noted McMahon. "Responding to this growing demand, we will be

doubling our workforce over the next 18 months, recruiting twenty highly skilled software programmers to work in our three main operating divisions in Dublin. Alongside the country’s reputation for high quality food processing, Ireland is also becoming better known for its food processing software capabilities.”

New CEO of DC Beef Denmark: CEO of DC Beef Lorenz Hansen has decided to hand over as head of Denmark’s largest cattle slaughterhouse, the company announced recently. Sales director of DC Beef Finn Klostermann, will take over as the new CEO effective beginning of October 2014.

Klostermann has been part of DC Beef since 2007 – joining as deputy chief executive before taking over as sales director in 2009.

"We were in no doubt that Finn Klostermann was an extremely strong candidate," said Peder Philipp, chairman of the board of directors of DC Beef. "Nevertheless, the recruitment process has comprised all the normal professional market searches, tests and interviews. This process has only confirmed our impression of Finn Klostermann as the person who can lead DC Beef into the future, while at the same time representing a generational change of management."

July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 7

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plant to close as dc battles union

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ansih crown is 'certain' efforts to keep its hog processing plant on the island of Bornholm open is not possible, resulting at the cost of some 190 jobs. The company stated that the closure is due to the "unequivocal stand taken by the Danish Food and Allied Workers’ Union NNF” not to cut jobs in order to keep the plant operating.

"We presented an ultimate proposal to NNF, which the union has blankly rejected,” said Jesper Friis, CEO of DC Pork. "We hope that they will reconsider the decision over the next few days, and up until 9:00 on Monday morning [June 2] we are willing to listen to what they might have to say. However, the announcement made this evening is quite clear, and in light of that, the slaughterhouse’s days are numbered.”

Danish Crown stated that there was hope that an agreement could be reached on the cutbacks that are necessary to save the slaughterhouse.

"All other parties involved have suggested solutions involving sacrifice or costs. Unfortunately, we have to face the fact that the Danish Food and Allied Workers’

Union NNF is unwilling to look at the pay costs, which means that we cannot proceed with the plan. That is how it is," said Friis.

Friis added: "From the outset we made it perfectly clear that we would have to look at pay costs at the slaughterhouse because production on the island cannot be maintained at average hourly rates of 197kr (US$36). But the Danish Food and Allied Workers’ Union NNF does not see things the same way.

"We would have to cut operating costs at the slaughterhouse on Bornholm by DKK 20-25 million. If the Danish Food and Allied Workers’ Union NNF had accepted our proposal, we could have realised savings of just under 20Mkr (US$3.6M) a year. And even if that was not quite enough, it would have been encouraging enough for us to continue operations."

Danish Crown expects to close down the slaughterhouse on Bornholm in early autumn 2014.

The company stated that a job bank will be established to help employees find work elsewhere, while a social plan will be prepared for each person.

Research shows poultry is UK's favourite meat

Sysco counters merger review rumours

Nutreco Starts Share Buy-back Programme

great britain: Almost seven out of in seven people buy and consume more poultry meat than any other meat, new research for the British Poultry Council (BPC) has revealed.

Populus, a research marketing company, stated that poultry meat is the most popular meat to buy and eat for 69 percent of consumers, compared with beef for 16 percent, Pork for 11 percent and Lamb for 4 percent of those surveyed.

The findings also revealed that 76 percent of women eat poultry more than other meats, compared to 63 percent of men. Poultry is also the younger respondent’s meat of choice with 79 percent of 18-24 year olds, 78 percent of 25-34 year olds, falling to 66 percent of 55-64 year olds, and 60 percent of those aged 65 and over – all eating poultry meat more than any other meat.

Andrew Large, chief executive of the BPC, said: “I’m not surprised that its Britain’s number one, poultry is a tasty, nutritious and versatile meat that represents great value for consumers."

USA: Sysco Corporation recently announced that the company's merger with US Foods is on track, refuting rumours that the deal was facing trouble with a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) review.

The company's president and CEO issued a statement in response to the recent report, which he said contained "unfounded, inaccurate and irresponsible rumours".

"In light of this recent misleading report, it's important to convey that Sysco continues to cooperate closely with the Federal Trade Commission in its review of the proposed merger of Sysco and US Foods," said Bill DeLaney, Sysco president and CEO. "We are engaged in a productive dialogue with the FTC, and the review is proceeding as expected.

We continue to believe that the Commission, once it finishes its investigation, will conclude that our industry is -- and will continue to be -- fiercely competitive. Our proposed merger will benefit customers and help us become more efficient in this rapidly evolving marketplace."

The NETHERLANDS: Netherlandsbased Nutreco, a feed and meat processor, has launched a share buy-back programme for 1,400,000 shares valued at approximately €45M (US$61M).

The share buy-back programme will be carried out in order to cover future stock dividends and employee stock plans as already announced in the full year results 2013 press release of 6 February 2014.

The programme will be carried out in accordance with the mandate given by the Annual General Meeting of shareholders on 27 March 2014.

Within the limits set at that meeting, the maximum price to be paid for the Nutreco shares will be 110 percent of the average closing price of the last five preceding trading days on the NYSE Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange.

The share buy-back programme will ultimately end on 31 December 2014, unless the maximum number of 1,400,000 shares has been repurchased prior to that date. In that case the programme will end on

8 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

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the date on which this maximum is reached and the early termination will immediately be disclosed.

Nutreco has mandated ABN AMRO to undertake the programme. ABN AMRO makes its trading decisions with regard to the number of shares and the timing of the purchases, independently of Nutreco.

selling expired meat in Beirut in 2012.

Lebanon Consumers, a local non-governmental organisation that defends consumer rights, has called for stiffer regulations.

lebanon calls for better meat regulation

ICELAND: Marel’s new M-Check 2 check weigher, launched in early June this year, has been approved for process as well as end of line applications.

The check weigher incorporates Marel's Innova Check weighing module that provides real-time monitoring of KPIs and collection of data for statistical analysis, enabling processors to track operational performance and optimise production line efficiency.

M-Check 2 can withstand high pressure and temperature wash down procedures to IP69K. Quick release belts and swivel reject bins make for easy cleaning.

Modular construction enables M-Check 2 to be configured to suit a wide range of production requirement, due to a choice of weigh cells, infeed conveyors, metal detection and reject options.

USA: Food safety solutions company Birko, has received a patent for its Frostlube technology for pork processing.

Used as a lubricant on gambrel and rail surfaces during blast freezing, Frostlube binds and forms a film to displace water and inhibit rusting, which increases the usable life span of gambrels, the company stated.

“Frostlube is designed especially for pork processors that blast freeze carcasses,” said Dr Jeremy Adler, Birko’s director of technology and innovation. “It is drip-resistant and its components inhibit spalling, or rail and gambrel flaking, which ultimately increase carcass yield.”

Ruiz Foods acquires South Carolina manufacturing facility USA: Mexican food manufacturer Ruiz Foods, based in Dinuba, California, announced it has acquired an existing manufacturing facility in South Carolina. Renovations will begin immediately with operations expected to begin in 2015.

The move is part of a broader growth plan that includes expansion of its Dinuba headquarters and its manufacturing facility in Texas.

The South Carolina plant was built in 2008 and formerly occupied by a Heinz frozen food plant.

MAREL

LEBANON: Marel’s new M-Check 2 check weigher, launched in early June this year, has been approved for process as well as end of line applications.

Activists in Lebanon are lobbying for further awareness and control of the meat industry after it was discovered that shops were repeatedly selling expired meat, despite claims of specialists that the issue had been exaggerated, local press reported.

Most recently, three tons of expired meat were confiscated in the northern city of Tripoli from four butcheries, which were promptly shut down and fined.

Residents of north Lebanon, and particularly Akkar, have suffered from food poisoning on numerous occasions due to the consumption of expired or tainted food, including meat, over the last few years.

According to the local paper, the biggest scandal occurred last year, when brothers Samih and Suleiman al-Natour were sentenced to prison and fined LB£1M (US$663) each for

Marel launches new check weigher

patent for pork processing lubricant

www.meatpacking.info

July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 9

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Australian lamb exports to EU Soar

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n the first four months of this year Australian sheep meat exports to the EU have been well ahead of year earlier levels, the organisation for the English beef and sheep industry, Eblex announced.

At 7,050t these exports were up 51 percent (2,400t) on year earlier levels and at this level shipments in this period were highest since 2008, Eblex reported.

While some of this can likely be attributed to increased availability in Australia, the biggest driver in this growth is likely the shortfall in New Zealand shipments to the EU, Eblex stated. In the same period, New Zealand sheep meat exports to the EU fell by six percent (3,900t), as the focus in New Zealand has continued to shift to China. As such, given the high value nature of the European market, Australian exporters have looked to fill the gap.

Eblex added that there are number of reasons why

JBT elects new chairman

Australia cannot fill the entire shortfall. Firstly, the European quota system grants Australia a considerably lower tariff free quota volume.

At 19,186t the allocation of quota to Australia is well below the New Zealand allocation of 228,254t; Australian product is not necessarily suited to the European market with animals much heavier than EU and New Zealand lambs, meaning that there are issues with pricing and product sizing; and there is little history of trading between the two regions therefore Australian product does not have the same brand recognition as New Zealand.

In 2013 Australia used 98 per cent of their allocated quota as such they are currently well ahead on their quota usage and should start to run out before the year’s end. Eblex expects volumes should start to track below year earlier levels in the second half of 2014.

USA: JBT Corporation's board of directors has elected Thomas Giacomini as chairman, the company announced recently. Giacomini, the president and CEO of the company, replaces Charles Cannon, who retired as executive chairman mid-May this year.

Giacomini was appointed JBT Corporation’s president and CEO in September last year. Prior to joining JBT, he served as VP since of manufacturing company, Dover Corporation.

industry manufacturers and their environment. The fully stainless steel chassis features inclined planes for the drainage of washing water.

The new machine contains no glass parts, which is in line with the recommendations of the HACCP directive.

Many components of the machine are EHEDG-certified.

ThermoSecure is installed either at the end of the line after the weighing and metal detection stations or in a white room with an IP66 sealing index when the final inspection must be as close as possible to the sealing operation.

food inspection product launched

Prime Equipment opens Mexico office

Lima hires new area sales manager

mexico: JBT Corporation's board of directors has elected Thomas Giacomini as chairman, the company announced recently. Giacomini, the president and CEO of the company, replaces Charles Cannon, who retired as executive chairman mid-May this year.

Giacomini was appointed JBT Corporation’s president and CEO in September last year. Prior to joining JBT, he served as VP since of manufacturing company, Dover Corporation.

FRANCE: Boris Galisson has just joined the Lima team as an area sales manager. Galisson is responsible for strengthening the links between the company and its distributors and will be covering Central and South America, Southern and Eastern Africa, the Middle East, Galisson has spent eight years in International Sales of thermal processing equipment for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Galisson also has previous food factory production management experiences.

France: French company Luceo, has launched a new food packaging inspection machine that detects and rejects all packaging with poor quality sealing and with labelling or marking errors. The company stated that hygienic and ergonomic principles are at the centre of the ThermoSecure L's design.

Lueco added that the ThermoSecure L, the fourth generation of the machine, was designed in accordance with the requirements of food

10 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

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South Korean pork market 'volatile'

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HE United states Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has said the pork market in South Korea is 'volatile'. Jihae Yang, director of US Meat Export Federation-South Korea, recently stated that over the past several years US pork exports to the country have experienced fluctuation, driven largely by changing market conditions within Korea.

Yang reported that the first quarter of 2014 was promising, with US pork exports to the country rising 15 percent in volume to 40,143t and 21 percent in value.

The US share of the pork export market to Korea also has grown, from 34.4 percent last year at this time to 36.7 percent this year. While Yang says the increase is a positive development, he added that conditions within the country will make it challenging for all imported pork products in the months ahead.

“The mid-April ferry disaster off the southern

Silver Fern Farms joins NZ export scheme NEW Zealand: Customs and Silver Fern Farms have signed a partnership under the NZ Customs Secure Export Scheme (SES), endorsing the exporter’s supply chain security standards, the NZ meat giant announced recently.

New Zealand’s SES aims to make the international trade of legitimate goods easier. The scheme ensures there is minimal intervention at export, and gives overseas trade partners greater assurance of security.

Carolyn Tremain, CEO and comptroller of customs, NZ, said: “Customs is committed to supporting international trade and recognises the significance of the meat export industry to our economy. We’re extremely pleased to welcome New Zealand’s largest meat producer and exporter on board.

“This partnership shows our high level of confidence in the security of Silver Fern Farms’ supply chain, and they will be recognised as trusted traders in countries we share mutual recognition arrangements with – United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea.”

Kevin Winders, CEO, Silver Fern Farms, added: “Joining the Secure

coast of Korea, which claimed 276 lives and left several dozen people still unaccounted for, has led to a national state of mourning. That single event has created a domino-like series of effects that continues to affect the pork industry as well as the overall economy," said Yang.

Yang added: “The increase in pork purchases in Korea in the weeks leading up to the spring event season are largely sitting in cold storage, which will put a damper on near-term purchases. The overall downturn in economic activity has been attributed to “vicarious trauma,” and the government is looking at steps to invigorate consumption, particularly to support the small and medium-size businesses that are being affected. On the positive side, a cluster of three holidays in the first week of May has helped boost retail and food service purchases."

Export Scheme is a good step for the business as it has refined processes through our chain of care which will make exporting easier. Working with Customs in this partnership means we can demonstrate to our international trading partners that we are committed to ensuring the integrity and security of the goods we provide them.”

Canada processors slow production due to worker shortage CANADA: Canadian meat processors are short hundreds of workers, forcing plants to run at 77 percent of capacity on average, the industry group Canadian Meat Council (CMC) announced recently.

Not enough Canadians want to work in the industry the group stated, resulting in more Canadian cattle and hogs being shipped to the US for slaughter.

CMC stated that the industry is in “dire need of workers to staff hundreds of vacant positions".

Processors have relied on Canada's temporary foreign worker program to fill jobs, but it has become more difficult in the past year to gain government approval for those workers, CMC added.

12 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

Canadian workers are already paid better than workers in the US. Canada is the world's third-largest pork exporter and seventh-biggest shipper of beef and veal.

National Pig Association appoints new boss great britain: The National Pig Association (NPA) has appointed a new chief executive as part of a restructure of its board, the organisation announced. General manager Dr Zoe Davies will become the new CEO. Davies joined NPA six years ago and previously worked at Defra as a senior scientific officer. NPA stated that the board had been increasingly impressed by Davies' contribution to the betterment of the British pig industry, operating at a national and international level.

Davies added: “ You'd be hard pressed to find a more dedicated and passionate team to support British pig producers than the National Pig Association, and I am honoured to be given the opportunity to guide it through future challenges and to take advantage of the opportunities. “ Our focus is, and always will be, to provide excellent value for our members." www.meatpacking.info

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Hillshire Brands readies for Tyson

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S company Hillshire Brands announced that in light of a more favourable offer by Tyson Foods, its board no longer recommends a merger with Pinnacle Foods. Tyson Foods recently won the bidding war against JBS-backed Pilgrim’s Pride as it offered to buy the company for US$63 per share in cash, beating Pilgrim’s Pride’s final offer by US$8 per share.

Tyson Foods and Pilgrim's Pride required Hillshire Brands to drop its own bid to acquire Pinnacle Foods, a deal announced in May this year.

Through the acquisition of Pinnacle Foods, Hillshire Brands planned to increase its bargaining power with Wal-Mart and other supermarkets by expanding its shelf space through a broader product offering. However, the acquisition would have increased the company's debt load to five times the adjusted EBITDA of the combined company.

Under the terms of Hillshire Brands – Pinnacle Foods merger agreement, Hillshire Brands does not yet have the right to terminate the deal on the basis of Tyson Foods’ offer or enter into an agreement with Tyson Foods prior to its termination.

Pinnacle Foods may now immediately terminate this agreement and accept a US$163M fee, or it may insist Hillshire Brands conduct a shareholder meeting to vote on a transaction that the Hillshire Brands Board has now recommended against.

Hillshire Brands stated that if Pinnacle Foods elects not to terminate the merger agreement and instead requires the company's stockholders to vote on the Pinnacle Foods 14 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

Above: Weekly, US food giant Tyson Foods processes an average of more than 400,000 hogs.

transaction, and Hillshire Brands stockholders vote to reject it, the company will then be entitled to terminate the merger agreement with Pinnacle Foods, and Pinnacle Foods may be entitled to receive a termination fee in the amount of US$43M followed by an additional US$120M under certain circumstances.

"We believe our offer to acquire Hillshire Brands for US$63 per share in cash is a superior proposal for Hillshire Brands shareholders," said Donnie Smith , president and CEO of Tyson Foods. "We're pleased the Hillshire Board has withdrawn its recommendation in favour of the Pinnacle Agreement, and now recommends the Tyson Foods offer, all as expressly authorised by the Pinnacle Agreement. We hope Pinnacle Foods will promptly accept the termination fee and not delay the ability of Hillshire Brands' shareholders to benefit from Tyson Foods' superior offer."

The decision concludes a nearly two-week contest between Tyson and Pilgrim's Pride. Pilgrim's Pride proposed the acquisition of Hillshire Brands for US$45 per share in cash in late May. Two days later Pilgrim's Pride offered US$50 per share cash proposal. However, the former company has now responded with a revised proposal, a bid to require Hillshire for US$55 per share in cash. On 1 June, Pilgrim's Pride increased its offer to US$55 per share in cash. On 9 June Tyson Foods proposed its final offer of US$63 per share in cash. www.meatpacking.info

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16 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

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q u ali t y

Take control of

quality Clinching sales on the supermarket shelf, where competition is fierce and growing, is not just down to the best price, or even the best product. Instead, sales are won by communicating you quality to the consumer.

Technical editor James Chappelow looks at what consumers understand about quality

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q u ali t y

T

he proof of the pudding is in the eating. This old adage encapsulates the challenge facing the meat industry. Not only is it required to meet the demands for meat but it must also do the very best to make that product palatable to the consumer from the farm to the taste buds. Just getting meat on the fork is not enough.

This is no simple task. There are pitfalls at each stage of production that can have a detrimental impact on meat quality. From farming to the slaughterhouse and from the meat processing plant to the retail outlet a myriad of standards must be met and laws respected. Only then does the industry finally come up against the most demanding judge – the consumer. Decisions about meat quality then become personal. The producer must cope with customs and traditions, prejudice and media scares, and ill-informed and often illogical decisions about meat quality. On top of this costs, and therefore prices, are a constant underlying factor. Finally, after buying choices have been made, the product is out of the producers control, it undergoes the consumer's cooking and presentational process that will have a major impact both on taste and enjoyment.

pre-slaughter stress

O

n the 21st century farm there is much better knowledge and opportunity to ensure that animals for slaughter are reared with the consumer in mind. Feedstuffs are carefully monitored and animal welfare issues are addressed, details of both of which are likely to appear on food labels. Of course, not all animals are treated to massages like the Japanese Kobe cattle, the meat from which is of legendary quality – and price – yet there is a growing realisation that well cared for animals will produce higher quality meat.

The amount of organic farming has increased although interestingly, the understanding of what this means is not high amongst consumers and the products are often regarded as being too highly priced even when judged to be of higher quality. Farmers tend to make much of the differing qualities of meat from different breeds of animals.

While there is a certain academic interest in this and a folksy liking for preserving rare breeds, in general, consumers do not rate the

18 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

exact breed highly when choosing meat.

There is a growing body of evidence that the treatment of animals during transportation to the slaughterhouse and immediately prior to stunning has an impact on the quality of meat. This is linked to the effects of stress on animals. The work of Smith and Grandin, amongst others, shows that the proper handling of meat animals will improve productivity, quality and profitability.

Transportation often leads to stress and care needs to be taken both loading and unloading animals. Stress follows in cases of extremes of temperature, high humidity, noise and where there is overcrowding. Once arrived at markets, animals should continue to be properly fed and watered, and at slaughterhouses lairage needs to be thought about. Here the animals often need time to recover from transport. Conditions should be such that possible injury and infection can be avoided. Electrical goads should not be used and animals should not be beaten.

Instead, efforts should be made to design slaughterhouses so that possible sources of stress are eliminated which will minimise carcass damage.

There is a link between the incidence of pale soft exudative meat (PSE) and dark firm dry meat (DFD) and the level of pre slaughter stress in animals. These conditions are avoided when animals are properly handled.

After slaughter the glycogen in the muscle is converted to lactic acid. In stressed animals the muscle glycogen is released into the blood stream and is converted to lactic acid while the carcass is still warm. This leads to a partial breakdown in muscle structure and produces PSE, particularly in pigs. This effects the water-binding capacity which is important in some meat processing. In the case of longer term stress, DFD follows in pigs and “dark cutting” in beef.

make the grade

P

ost-slaughter the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has instituted a quality and yield grading system for beef carcasses.

The eight quality standards are Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner. These grades are based on two factors: maturity and marbling. There are five maturity classifications: A – 9 to 30 months

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q u ali t y

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q u ali t y

B – 30 to 42 months C – 42 to 72 months D – 72 to 96 months E - more than 96 months.

As cattle mature their meat becomes tougher and muscle colour becomes darker. Age may be judged by aspects of skeletal development e.g. the level of ossification in the vertebral column.

Marbling – the amount and distribution of intramuscular fat – within the ribeye gives the other measure of quality and this is scored into ten different grades. The more marbling that is in evidence, the better the quality of the meat.

The Yield Grades give a measure of the cutability of a carcass. The grades range from one to five and are based on fat thickness, ribeye area and carcass weight.

In his article, “Grading Beef: Decode the secret language of beef to find the best cuts” Derrick Riches has been critical of this system.

He sees it as a powerful marketing tool for the meat industry as high grade beef sells for many times more than lower grade beef. It is a voluntary system and the USDA is paid by the packers and ranchers. Riches agrees that consumers understand the term “Prime” on a beef label, but says that “Choice” and “Select” mean nothing to most consumers, not least because supermarkets use the same words in their own labelling to mean different things.

Riches concludes that the scheme is too costly and ranchers do not want to take the chance of not being awarded the higher grades. For these reasons most beef produced in the United States is sold as ungraded.

Regulations abound that are imposed to give the consumer confidence in the food supply generally and for meat in particular.

Governments, particularly in the European Union, are keen to intervene in the face of any breakdown in food safety.

The BSE crisis is the most dramatic recent example of this but the flurry of activity following the discovery of horse meat masquerading as beef in the UK illustrates the effectiveness of official intervention. It also shows the impact of a scare on consumers.

Indeed, there is so much hype about negative aspects of the meat industry that the expectation should be that meat eating ought to be in terminal decline. In an analysis on the “Impacts of meat product recalls on consumer demand in the USA” Marsh, Schroeder and Mintert showed that “only poultry recalls had a negative and significant impact on demand for poultry” and that generally “the impact of meat product recalls on demand is economically small”. Their study made it clear that “food quality on the meat industry is complex in nature”.

20 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

communicating quality

T

he demand for good quality meat shows great resilience. This is in part due to the large amount of information available to consumers about meat. Some of this is mandatory information and other details are provided by the manufacturer and/or the retailer. In a May 2013 report for the EU Commission on “The Functioning of the meat market for consumers in the European Union” the whole issue of the efficacy of labelling was investigated. Three labels were most commonly taken note of by the consumers: the “use by / best before” label- looked for by 68 percent of consumers the “price per kilogram and the price” label - looked for by 67 percent of consumers the “country of origin” label – looked for by 48 percent of consumers.

Of the other labels that appeared on meat between one quarter and one fifth of consumers looked for an origin certificate, an animal welfare certificate, nutritional values, an organic label or nutritional claims. Eight percent looked to see whether or not an animal was slaughtered according to religious rites.

The problem with some of the labelling is that the consumers frequently misunderstand the terms. The “best before” was given its correct meaning - “the meat will lose some of its quality but can still be consumed after the date if you store it in the fridge” - by only 36 percent of those surveyed. The EU Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label – the product has been produced, processed and prepared in a designated geographical area” - was correctly identified by only four percent of consumers and the “low fat” label – having less than three percent fat – was properly understood by only 23 percent of consumers. A further area of uncertainty for consumers is in health claims made for meat products. It is generally accepted that meat should be part of a healthy diet but there are also worries about the levels of saturated fat associated with some meat. Despite this, only 21 percent of those surveyed look for information about nutritional values such as the fat or salt content and only 15 percent of consumers said that they would buy meat that was marked “low fat” or “Omega 3”. These labels – some or all of which have become mandatory in many countries - depend on interpretation and require further education of the consumer, but they provide the main extrinsic cues for the shopper.

In an earlier Danish survey (“Consumer perception of meat quality and implications for product development “ led by Klaus Grunert of www.meatpacking.info

q u ali t y

Figure 1: The 12 stages of the Japanese Beef Marbeling Standard and corresponding grades

BMS # 1 Quality Grade 1

BMS # 2 Quality Grade 2

BMS # 3 Quality Grade 3

BMS # 4 Quality Grade 3

BMS # 5 Quality Grade 4

BMS # 6 Quality Grade 4

BMS # 7 Quality Grade 4

BMS # 8 Quality Grade 5

BMS # 9 Quality Grade 5

BMS # 10 Quality Grade 5

BMS # 11 Quality Grade 5

BMS # 12 Quality Grade 5

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q u ali t y

the Aarhus School of Business) the addition of branding by the industry to the other labels was discussed. It was found that this helped first in product differentiation but, in signalling a superior quality it could reduce consumer uncertainty. Once a brand had been tried than enjoyed then it gained a history of reliable quality. It seems that consumers are very receptive to brand signals. Such voluntary labels emphasise the superior character of the products and their main objective is sales promotion. They often imply the endorsement of an industry body as well as the backing of the producer and the retailer.

trust me, i'm a butcher

T

he strongest of the extrinsic cues has been shown to be the place of purchase and the country of origin. Some 36 percent of EU consumers named traditional butchers as their preferred retailer for meat even though 40 percent of meat is actually purchased in supermarkets and only 25 percent in butchers.

Only 28 percent regard supermarkets as their preferred retailer for meat. Investigations of the meat sold by butchers shows that most of the extrinsic cues in the form of labelling is absent. Cues are gained from conversation with the butchers running the shops themselves. In their place comes trust based on previous experience and recommendation.

In scientific terms the meat may be no different than meat from other sources but consumers are willing to believe that the quality is better and they are prepared to pay more for it. An interesting omission from the butchers' service is the lack of “use by/ best before” advice. This demonstrates a high level of confidence in the supplier who, as a professional butcher, is regarded as giving expert advice. In terms of “country of origin” labels the consumer strongly tends to favour their home produced meat over any other but it is unclear as to whether or not this reflects a quality cue or simple nationalism.

Away from the busy flurry of the supermarket the consumer has the chance to engage with those more instinctive intrinsic cues that tend to inform meat buying and point to quality in meat. The following

22 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

intrinsic cues are mentioned in most surveys: colour marbling leanness flavour tenderness smell free of gristle texture freshness Some of these attributes are termed search quality cues and others experience quality cues. Obviously, there is a high degree of subjectivity in judgements made using these cues but evidence suggests that consumers will rely on them more than anything else. Freshness is particularly important in assessing pig meat and poultry and flavour, tenderness and smell are the key experience quality cues – which are only available at time of consumption. There are some issues about fat content and marbling. The level of fat as revealed in marbling is regarded as a negative indicator of quality by consumers whereas marbling in fact contributes to tenderness taste and juiciness. In Grunert's words, “formation of expectations about taste, tenderness and juiciness mainly based on fat attributes is actually dysfunctional”.

Here the meat producer comes up against the received wisdom that fat is bad. The fashion is for leanness in meat despite the fact that one of the main attributes of the best quality in beef is a high level of marbling.

The evidence from consumer surveys suggests that intrinsic cues when buying meat are often irrational, difficult to predict and based on instinct and gut feeling driven by past experience. The consumer is helped by a barrage of extrinsic cues in terms of labelling, but many of these are misunderstood or ignored. The market also has to cope with the fluctuation of numerous credence cues over which neither the manufacturer nor the consumer have any control. These mainly concern the safety issues attached to meat eating. By legislation and regulation governments intervene in the market to ensure basic standards. This will include regulations on hormones, antibiotics, cholesterol, salmonella and other bacteria, BSE and other qualities where information

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q u ali t y

is not available at point of purchase or consumption. Some of this information may only become available through the media or word of mouth and it may be irrational. When swine flu first became known in the US sales of pork dropped dramatically even thought there was no risk from properly prepared products. The transient and ephemeral nature of such food scares (as mentioned above) is well documented but this does not lessen the impact of them on meat producers.

price and value

P

rice also deserves a mention.

Researchers have tested the supposition that consumers believe that better quality equates with higher prices. This is certainly true for Kobe Beef for which it is currently possible to pay up to US$1,500 for a 10oz cut – which would be heavily marbled.

Surveys such as those of Dr Tilman Becker of the University of Hohenheim on “Consumer perception of Fresh Meat Quality” suggest that the price of meat is of less importance to consumers when making judgements about possible eating quality. The view of consumers is that a high price does not necessarily guarantee better quality.

Nevertheless, in times of economic hardship consumers will tend to look for cheaper cuts of meat or switch to different meats on the basis of price while still applying the same search cues to find the best available quality.

In the EU over 40 percent of consumers eat meat at least four times a week and spending on meat represents and average of four percent of the household budget. The retail value of the beef industry in the U.S.A. in 2012 was $85 billion of which 90% was consumed in the U.S.A. Although there are fluctuations within the industry, there are no signs that meat eating is going out of fashion. Not all of the meat that is consumed would be rated as high quality. The popularity of fast food outlets is not declining.

Numerous reports show that the meat quality available as fast food leaves something to be desired but this does not impact on sales. Not only is such food convenient but people also enjoy it. There are high sales of many other

www.meatpacking.info

forms of meat based convenience foods. As with fresh meat, the cues for making choices are complex. The food processing industry is responsive to consumer demand and this includes the use of the highest grades of meat that makes economic sense.

The problem remains, however, of how to ensure a satisfying meal is served when the consumers themselves have to present the end product, often after following complex recipes. It may well be true that they only have themselves to blame for a tough, dry or tasteless piece of meat. On the whole, however, the meat itself or its supplier will be named as the villain. The industry needs to continue to work hard to present consumers with the best quality meat. They also need to work to educate consumers on how best to enjoy it.

references and further reading Adzitey, F., 2011: Review Article: Effect of pre-slaughter animal handling on carcass and meat quality.

Becker, T., 2000. Consumer perception of fresh meat quality: A framework for ananlysis Becker, T., 2000. Consumer perception of fresh meat quality in Germany Cowan, C., Manion, M., Langan, J., Keane, J., 1999. Consumer perceptions of meat quality.

European Commission, 2013.

Functioning of the meat market for consumers in the European Union.

Grunert, K. (et al), 2004. Consumer perception of meat quality and implications for product development in the meat sector.

Hale, D., Goodson, K., Savell, J., updated 2013. USDA Beef Quality and Yield Grades Marsh, T. (et al), 2004. Impacts of meat product recalls on consumer demand in the USA Moloney, A., 2002. The fat content of meat and meat products.

Riches, D. Grading Beef Tonsor, G. & Olynk N., 2010. US meat demand: The influence of animal welfare coverage.

Tatum, D., Beef grading

July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 23

TU R K EY

Turkey in the maw 24 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

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TU R K EY

Left: President John F Kennedy continues the annual tradition of pardoning one turkey at Thanksgiving in the US. The turkey is presented each year by the president of the National Turkey Federation

More than any other product, turkey is perceived to be at the mercy of the calendar, hinging on a local harvest or winter festival dictating that consumers tuck in to the biggest bird on the shelf. The most famous of these, celebrated by all except the turkeys, is American Thanksgiving.

But in that country at least, impressive gains are being made year-round for the turkey sector.

Alex Conacher speaks with Joel Brandenberger, president of the National Turkey Federation of the US to get a picture of how the market is maturing, in spite of recent crises www.meatpacking.info

July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 25

TU R K EY

I

t is not Possible to escape. Looking at the demand trends for turkey in the US, there are two days that are an obvious boon for farmers, processors and purveyors, Thanksgiving in November and Christmas Day in December.

“For sure, the sales of whole turkeys are focused on Q4,” says Joel Brandenberger, president of the National Turkey Federation (NTF). “Consumption is at approximately 46 million birds at Thanksgiving, and another 25 million at Christmas. This is the only quarter of the year we actually endeavor to quantify whole turkey sales.”

While it would not be too logistically taxing for an industry sitting on the experience of lifetimes to ramp up production from a low base level, this would be an entirely missed opportunity for year-round production. And the turkey industry in the US has not relied on this ‘cash cow’ known locally as the Fresh Season.

And significant efforts have been put in to raising demand across the board.

“Measuring demand for turkey is not entirely as straightforward as counting the number of birds sold,” continues Brandenberger. “If you look a few decades, say 30 years ago, per capita annual consumption of turkey meat was at around 10lbs [4.5kg]. Today it is almost 17lbs [7.7kg]. But if you look just at demand for whole turkeys over this period, the proportion of total consumption that is made up by sales of whole birds has dropped from about 50, to about 30 per cent.

“This is a notable change, just over my career, in how Americans are eating turkey.”

Not a paltry product

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round turkey meat has been a huge growth area for the industry, as well as growth in perhaps the better-known products such as deli meats and (locally at least) turkey bacon for breakfast. The current chair of the National Turkey Federation, Gary Cooper of Cooper Farms, is said to place a heavy emphasis on broadening the image of turkey from simply a festive meat and a convenience foodstuff, to a highly regarded product in terms of health and taste.

“Ground turkey and breast meat commands a premium; we have a ‘health halo’ around us effectively as the meat is low in fat, and in particular saturated fat".

This is a key advantage for the turkey purveyor, and something the NTF tries to 26 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

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National Turkey Federation

T

4

2

0

8

6

4

2

0

1992

1997

2002

2007

2012

he US NationaL Turkey Federation represents over 300 member companies, more than 95 percent of the country’s turkey industry. It began over 75 years ago for the purpose of marketing member companies, and working towards improving animal health.

As well as producing and publishing best practice guidelines, it focuses on educating the domestic consumer base on the health benefits of turkey – a key selling point – as well as working with government to promote legislative change that falls within the industry’s interests.

The organisation has nine full time staff, and elected officers. The elected chairman has a yearlong term, and the current leader is Gary Cooper of Cooper Farms. He is responsible for ensuring the Federation is responding to member needs.

For more information, contact: info@turkeyfed.org

Year

Consumption in lb

00

00

00

00

00

00

00

00 0

Number of turkeys 100raised 2011-2012 in millions State 2011 2012 80 46.5 Minnesota 46.0 N Carolina 32.0 36.0 60 30.5 Arkansas 29.0 Missouri 17.5 17.5 40 17.5 Virginia 17.0 Indiana 16.0 16.5 20 15.0 California 15.5 S Carolina 11.5 12.0 0 Pennsylvania 7.5 12.0 Beef Pork Chicken Ohio 5.0 5.5 Other States 49.5 45.5 Total 248.5 253.5

1990

1993

1996

1999

2002

2005

2008

2011

Year

% of 2012 99 113 95 100 97 103 103 104 160 Turkey 110 92 107

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

US turkey production

20

2012 2011 2010 2005

15

2000 1995 1990

10

1985 1980

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2000

1995

1990

1985

1980

1975

1970

1975 5

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Year

Year Source: National Turkey Federation

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TU R K EY

US turkey exports Year Whole body 2000 33.3 2001 20.3 2002 15.3 142003 27.2 22.8 122004 2005 31.2 10 2006 33.5 8 2007 53.1 62008 53.8 42009 61.8 50.9 22010 2011 61.9 0 1997 20121992 75.4 Source: National Turkey Federation

Export value in millions of $

800

28 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

500 400 300 200 100 1990

1993

1996

1999

2002

2005

2008

2011

Year Source: National Turkey Federation

US turkey exports as a % of total production 14

20

2012 2011

12

2010

10 15

2005 2000

8

1995

6

1990

4 10

1985

2

1980

Source: National Turkey Federation

2012

2011

2012 2010

2009

2008

2007

2005

2000

Year

2007 2006

2002 1995

1990

1985

1997 1980

1992 1975

5

1970

0

Year

800

Export value in millions of $

A

600

0

a perfect storm n actively promotional industry body, and societal trends towards your product makes the turkey business a very attractive corner of

700

% Consumption in lb

nother area that is increasingly important for suppliers to this market is the global consumer base. This, compared to the American consumer, is relatively untapped for turkey sales. And it is definitely an area the American companies are looking to exploit, alongside a healthy international competition from Brazil and France in particular.

Brandenberger looks at the numbers: “In 1990 when I entered this industry, exports made up about one per cent of our business. In recent years it has been 10 percent consistently, with some years reaching as high as 13 or even 14 percent. Mexico is our largest foreign market and will always be a special one for us, but our members are now looking in to the Pacific Rim and Africa for new opportunities.

“I hear from my colleagues that good things are being done in Europe with turkey, while it also enjoys a cultural advantage in some areas of the world where turkey meat can be substituted for pork.

“This increase in export percentages didn’t happen without effort, our members have pushed hard for success abroad, and continue to push hard. Key to our success in our exporting activities, will be to keep an eye on diplomacy, it is helpful to keep trade barriers out of things, on either side.”

2007

Year

Total 445.3 487.0 438.6 483.8 442.5 569.6 546.6 546.5 676.2 533.8 582.8 703.3 800 2012

US turkey exports total value

exporting the dream

A

Parts 412.0 466.7 423.3 456.6 419.7 538.4 513.3 493.4 622.4 472.0 531.9 641.4 2002724.6

%

emphasise whenever it can. And nutritional labelling, often a difficult topic for certain areas of the industry, is a blessing for NTF members, as turkey comes over very well compared to competing products.

Brandenberger adds, “We try to help consumers understand what you can do with other types of the meat that they might be unfamiliar with. To try to sell the meat on its taste profile is also an aim.

“We are building on 30 years of social awareness work in the US, and perhaps there is a cultural head start here when it comes to turkey.

People also understand health and nutritional jargon a lot more now. In the early days, labels were simply not there, and saturated fat in particular was not understood. A great deal of advertising material has been made available by our members over the years to boost the perception of the meat to the consumer base.”

700 600 500 400 300 200 100

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TU R K EY

the meat and poultry world to occupy. But, as with any industry, and more than some, they are vulnerable to market forces and the hand of government.

Brandenberger explains, “In the years 2005 to 2007 the industry was in a period of investing heavily in growth. And despite the rapid expansion being undertaken, this was a very profitable time for our members. As we entered 2008, we were continuing this healthy trend of expansion, but by spring some of our members were reporting that a lot of breast meat was going into storage.

“Looking back, this was the first warning that the recession was about to hit our market.

Fresh meat and poultry are traditionally hit very hard by market uncertainty and recession, as consumers opt for cheaper alternatives, and also the less expensive meat cuts.

“In addition to this, there was a big biofuels push by the government. This came in the form of corn ethanol targets. Corn prices rocketed while demand for our products fell.

It truly was a perfect storm. And we can’t turn our ship around very quickly. But by the summer of that year, our members were already undergoing dramatic changes. There was a 50 per cent reduction in one case, while temporary shutdowns were brought in elsewhere, and sadly this also led to the closure of some of our smaller members.

“In 2009, production was nine percent below 2008 levels. In 2010 it fell a further two percent.

Since then it has come back up, but not to 2008 levels. It may be some time before this happens, as sustained demand is needed.”

“Whole turkeys at least didn’t suffer as much as the other products. And in 2012 there was another market correction that saw the industry begin to ramp back up. This is a result of missing the mark during the 08/09 reductions; it is very difficult to predict demand.

“But we are getting better, and I think our recent [last decade] history of reading the market is, relatively speaking, impressive. When there is a market downturn, we are much more responsive. This comes simply from experience in a cyclical market situation. There are limitations on what specific information can be shared, but some of our members continued to expand even through the financial crisis.”

legislation contemplation

O

ne of the causes of Brandenberger’s ‘perfect storm’ that first battered the turkey industry, now the better part of a decade ago, was the attitude of government to a competing consumer of corn. A biofuels programme to www.meatpacking.info

Top U.S. Turkey Processors in 2012 Company Butterball, LLC Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc. Cargill Value Added Meats Farbest Foods, Inc. Hillshire Brands Co. Kraft Foods, Inc./Oscar Mayer Foster Farms Perdue Farms, Inc. House of Raeford Farms, Inc. Virginia Poultry Growers Coop. Inc. West Liberty Foods, LLC Cooper Farms Dakota Provisions Michigan Turkey Producers Hain Pure Protein Corp.

Turkey Valley Farms Zacky Farms, LLC Prestage Foods Norbest, Inc. (Moroni Feed Co.) Northern Pride White Water Processing Co. Empire Kosher Poultry

Total liveweight processed 1,300 1,275 1,095 385 358 280 274 271 253 251 224.8 207 206 185 182 150 149 140 102.8 40 30.3 25.2

Source: Watt Poultry, USA

Top five turkey consuming countries, 2012 Country Per capita consumption in kgs United states 7.5 Canada 4.3 European Union 3.8 Brazil 1.73 Mexico 1.5 Source: National Turkey Federation

produce corn ethanol.

“A legislative priority of ours is reform of renewable fuel standards. It’s maybe time to roll back, if not entirely repeal government targets in this area. Many administrations have been very strongly pro-corn ethanol, and the ethanol industry is the country’s single largest consumer of corn.

“If you asked our members, well, I’m pretty sure they would all ask for lower feed prices, but the real issue, and challenge to us, caused by the biofuels focus is wild price swings. The volatile outlook makes it incredibly difficult to plan and forecast; it gives you less room for error, eats in to the bad weather margin. The price can double, or halve, in 15 or 16 months, July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 29

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%

10 8

200

0

100

6

0

TU R1990 K EY 1993

4

1996

1999

2002

2005

2008

Beef

Pork

Chicken

Turkey

200

250

2011

Year

2 0

1992

1997

2002

2007

2012

US per capita turkey Year consumption

US 2012 per capita meat consumption in lbs

20

2012 100 2011

700 600 500 400

15

Consumption in lb

Consumption in lb

10

0

1990

1993

1996

1999

2002

Source: National Turkey Federation

2005

2008

2012

2011

2010

2009

2007

Year

2008

2006

2005

2000

1995

1990

100

1985

5

1980

200

1975

300 1970

Export value in millions of $

800

2010 80

2011

1995 40 1990 1985 20 1980 1975 0

0 Beef

50 Pork

100 Chicken 150Turkey

Year

2012

Biggest issue is growing real demand.

It’s possible to have a price 2011 2010 but this is not entirely helpful reduction and see consumption rise, 2005

15

Joel Brandenberger Nation Turkey Federation president 2000 1995 1990

10

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2000

1995

1990

1985

for example.”

“There was a robust 2013 harvest, but we are still around double the price since the 2006 ethanol mandate was brought in.”

On other environmental schemes mused Year over, but not really brought into force by the government, Brandenberger adds, “Everyone recognises that a healthy climate is important, but there is not much understanding of the effect that specific legislation – for example a cap on carbon emissions – would have on production.

"I think this reflects a national attitude; it is important not to implement anything that could be permanent or harmful. We have experience in the industry of showing environmental improvement by looking at broad goals, not prescriptive targets. We are proud of our efforts and success removing nitrogen and phosphorus in soil, for example.”

1980

1970

5

1985

1975

Consumption in lb

60 2000

Source: National Turkey Federation

Year

20

2005

the right numbers

A

robust, proactive and increasingly creative industry that faces challenges not necessarily of its own making. This seems to be the view of Brandenberger looking back on the last few years. But when it comes to going 30 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

1980 1975 0

forwards, while you can perhaps influence legislation, and try to predict when tough times will strike, the best preparation is to build on 50 100 150 200 250 300 your strengths.

Year Looking forwards Brandenberger muses, “I would say the single biggest issue we are focusing on right now is that of growing demand. And by this I mean real demand. It’s possible to have a price reduction through oversupply, and see consumption rise, but this is not a real demand increase and not entirely helpful.

“The NTF has created a task force that will come up with a programme to address this by the end of the year. This will probably be restaurant and supermarket outreach, working with them to excite them to the possibilities of the meat, as well as other subtle efforts to improve the image of turkey – and although I will never say never, you are not likely to see TV advertising campaigns!”

And when it comes to organic, according to the NTF the growing national trend towards this type of product, has seen new entrants into the turkey market to fill the demand, but also that some of the more traditional companies have sat up and begun to work in this area. The members have stepped up to it, but this is still apparently a very small percentage of total production www.meatpacking.info

Lower costs higher yields better quality Marel introduces, DeboFlex, a groundbreaking new way of de-boning and handling pork fore-ends.

The DeboFlex system is in-line and uses an overhead conveyor and specially designed carriers to transport fore-ends past operators who carry out individual deskinning, defatting, de-boning and dividing operations.

Increases “knife in meat” time No heavy lifting Focus on specific process tasks Improved food safety; longer shelf life Better factory floor logistics

marel.com

“

The efficiency in the production hall has risen, the transport of products has become simpler and the cutting process has become easier.

”

Production Manager, Menno van der Post at Compaxo Meat Ltd

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deboning development

Processors in developing countries are increasingly installing high-tech deboning lines. Editor Rhian Owen speaks with experts in the industry about how an ever reducing pool of employees has led to a surge in demand in equipment, and what the future holds 32 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

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eat consumption in developing nations has been continuously increasing, largely driven by economic growth. Since 1995, global per-capita meat consumption has risen by 15 percent, while developing countries have experienced even faster growth with a 25 percent hike.

The demand in developing countries is expected to remain steady. According to the latest projections from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), released in spring 2014, global meat consumption is forecasted to grow at 1.9 percent per annum during 2014 – 2023.

Furthermore, the USDA states that due to increased demand for meat from regions such as China, India, other areas of developing Asia and Latin America, it has forecast a 22 percent increase in world meat trade.

More and more, processors in developing countries are installing lines that tackle the evisceration process and debone meat. “If you have a low capacity machine, such as what we had in the past at 2,000 carcasses per hour, you'd need a lot of machines to debone when some of the big plants are processing 27,000," says Jeroen Bohm, product manager Meyn. “However, a lot of machines need a lot of attention, as all systems need to have maintenance and cleaning, so we decided to go to higher speeds. We’re the only manufacturer processing 6,000 birds per hour allowing in most cases to have one evisceration line; you can do all your deboning on two systems.”

Earlier this year poultry expert Meyn, introduced its Rapid Plus Breast Deboner M3.0, following the success of its semi-automatic machine the Rapid HQ Breast Deboner that was launched in 2006. The Rapid Plus Breast Deboner M3.0 is the only solution to harvest all fillet and tender products automatically, resulting in a reduction of labour costs and a minimised dependency on skills and availability.

Meyn offers a modular set-up of the machine, which Bohm says "allows customers with a lower investment to start with this successful concept, achieving high yield and saving labour".

Marel manufacturers deboners for the industry that are used all over the world. Marel's DeboFlex system for pork fore-end deboning is an in-line system using an overhead conveyor and specially designed carriers to transport foreends past operators who carry out individual deskinning, defatting, deboning and dividing operations. The company recently sold the system to a Brazilian customer. Once up and running, Marel notes that the system will be processing 800 fore-ends per hour.

In addition, Marel's beef deboning and trimming system StreamLine is growing

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in popularity in Latin America. “Red meat production is increasing in Latin America, especially in Mexico and Brazil, as a result of rising export demand, and competitive prices," says David Wilson, managing director of Marel's Meat Industry Centre. "We have experienced a great deal of interest in systems and equipment from the Latin American beef and pork industries – especially in our StreamLine deboning and trimming systems. In fact, we sold the largest system ever to a Mexican customer.

We are also working closely with beef processors in China on StreamLine deboning and trimming, where we see the demand for beef is rising.”

labour struggle

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espite the rise in demand for deboning equipment, areas of developing Asia and Latin America have generally been slow to permeate deboning lines, relying heavily on a large labour force.

“In South America about six years ago, you could have people that cost about €200 (US$271) per month meaning it would be profitable to use people instead of making an expensive investment in machines,” says Bohm.

“Then came a turning point in the Brazilian economy and people could find jobs. Working in a slaughterhouse isn’t the sexiest job – if there’s something else, then you go for the job that is dry, warm and isn’t hard to do. We saw a big change in the region, the demand for automatic deboners went up. Looking at China, this started a couple of years ago, but it takes time to be accepted. It’s a big change and requires time.”

Baader's Deboner 656 is an automatic machine that measures each front half of the bird and then automatically adjusts all of the deboning tools. Baader product manager Stephan Leuschner says: "Areas in Asia such as Thailand, Malaysia, China, or Brazil, which were strong hand deboning markets are changing around from hand lines to machine deboning.

Not even in China can you find enough people who want to work for little money in that kind of environment.”

Globally, processing facilities are struggling to find staff. As the demand for meat grows, processors are undertaking major expansions and upgrades that has led to a growing demand for more workers. Morrisons in the UK is expanding its meat processing factory in Winsford, Cheshire and has launched a recruitment drive for 200 new roles. It is looking for a range of staff, and experience is not necessary.

"One of the big challenges with labour is the availability," Bohm says. "In a lot of countries there is nobody available willing to do the job in July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 33

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a meat plant. If you have 1,000 people and 200 workers aren’t coming in, you can’t deliver the products. This alone drives automation” Bohm adds that processors incur additional costs with their labour associated with training.

“It costs a lot of money to train people. It’s not a simple job to do, with deboning the training is there or four weeks. This is in conflict with a high turnover of people,” he says. “A lot of the labour force work for six months to a year. Since most plants have a high turn over of people, they will refresh their whole plant once a year.”

Processors are also keen to measure individual employee performance. Gainco's YieldPlus debone system measures data by individual operator station, allowing poultry processors to hold their employees accountable for their performance in areas of yield, portion control consistency, quality and productivity. The system brings together product distribution and data collection systems from Gainco with the yield improving and labour-saving technologies of Bettcher Industries’ Whizard Series II Trimmers.

quality control

p

ay rates have increased dramatically as a result of limited supply and high demand.

The fall in skills on the production line, the high cost of labour, and realising the consumer demand for deboned meat, have all driven processors to install efficient deboning systems.

The aim of manufacturers such as Meyn is to provide processors with efficient deboning systems that support the poultry processing industry in their need to meet the demand for deboned meat. "The quality that customers are demanding is becoming higher and higher," says Bohm. "We’ve developed our automatic machines that we get a constant quality, a presentation of the product, every day from the first minute to the last minute. But if you’ve not trained people, or motivated them, or if they’re tired, those things differ for the performance in terms of yield, that’s your profitability, or if they have made a different cut – as a consumer if it looks odd you don’t trust it.”

Marel's StreamLine provides traceability on each animal, as well as online monitoring of individual operator performance including yield, efficiency, throughput and quality throughout the process. Wilson adds that StreamLine can be configured for various deboning applications leading to a “higher quality end product by giving processors the ability to maximise the selection of cuts into the highest price products and to minimise red meat loss”.

French company Lima specialises in the production of separators and deboners

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all images: Meyn

Meyn's deboning solution can cut the wish bone, harvest the fillet and the separate the goujon

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Case study: improving yield at Krasno

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MAREL

ork processor Krasno produces 105t of final product in two facilities in the Czech Republic. From humble beginnings as a freezing store in the 1950s, the company is now the largest pork producer in the country.

Marel states that Krasno made a yield improvement of 1.3 percent and productivity increase of 20 percent following the installation of a Marel StreamLine deboning and trimming system in one of its production facilities.

Tomas Lesa, purchasing director at Krasno, says: “We bought the StreamLine system to better control and measure yield, get a transparent evaluation of the operators and of course increase productivity. We have reached all of that plus more.”

Krasno buys primal bone-in pork shoulders and legs from a number of EU suppliers. These primals are deboned and trimmed to specification at the StreamLine and mostly sent to further processing. “The StreamLine enables us to make proper use of the products as well as order of work sequences of the operators,” adds Lesa. “Each operator performance is closely monitored in the system, and based on a bonus salary system, he or she can increase the monthly wage depending on work performance.”

Operators at the 16-station StreamLine have specialised tasks. For example, one group of people are deboning the legs entering the line, these deboned products are sent further down the line for trimming operations according to specification – and subsequently the finished products are sent to packing and storage.

The trim from the line is automatically conveyed to a trim grading system. All large primals going into the line.

All finished products, trim and bone material are fully traceable in the system via Innova, the system software.

Marel’s Innova production control software plays a major role in the success of the line at Krasno. Karel Pilcik, chairman of the board, Krasno, says: “We are now using Innova in more detailed ways as more details are uncovered within the system and within our production. When we bought the system we underestimated our need for Innova knowledge. I would estimate that 75 percent of the value is in the Innova software and 25 percent is the line itself.

With the system comes a whole new way of thinking – compared to traditional ways of deboning. It is not easy for people (operators and management) to change their way of thinking but we have seen the results of fully understanding the system.”

Lesa adds: “We bought the StreamLine system to better control and measure yield, get a transparent evaluation of the operators and of course increase productivity. We have reached all of that plus more”

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July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 37

All image: Marel

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Above: Marel's StreamLine deboning and trimming system in place in Krasno's Czech Republic facility

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for poultry. Its product line includes more than 60 patented models for four types of products: S-type separators for well structured mechanically separated meat, D-type deboners for ground meat; DS-type deboners for structured meat, and DD-type de-sinewers for de-sinewed meat. The DS range recovers meat from bones, focussing on low calcium content and optimum yield to obtain a structured meat.

"Many customers are taking benefit of the high quality recovered meat," says Bernard Le Bris, general manager, Lima. "We are focussed on improving the quality of the meat. High quality, high texture and easy sanitation is what our R&D endeavours are right now. We are trying to create a design according to these two parameters - quality of meat and sanitation."

preventing contamination

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eat safety is always on the minds of manufacturers and hygiene has a great influence on the design of deboning machines.

There is always the risk of contamination of the end product through bone fragments.

In 1997, the New York Times ran an article that a new method for deboning beef by machine contaminated some ground beed with bits of spinal cord, bone and bone marrow, in violated of regulations. One study by the Department of Agriculture claimed that 16 of the 48 meatprocessing plants that used the machinery were not in compliance, the article stated.

The need for a reliable system has risen greatly in the last few years; the demand for deboned meat has risen, and the industry has come under fire from authorities and consumers for incidents such as the horsemeat scandal, which points to the lack of oversight as to what exactly ends up in the human food chain.

Traditionally, the inspection process for bones in meat is for workers to find them manually.

However, processors are increasingly finding this method to be insufficient and are looking for alternative solutions. X-ray imaging inspection, to automatically detect bone fragments and other foreign bodies in the meat, is being installed in plants globally.

"Bone content is becoming more of an issue," says Bohm. "The demands on bone level is becoming so enormously high that we've developed our a bone detection system. If, after manual inspection, quality hasn't been ensured then our detection system can detect if someone has left the bone inside. We're reducing the dependency processors have on their staff."

Wilson adds: "Bones are a common source of complaints in the meat industry. It is therefore of great value for the manufacturer of finished www.meatpacking.info

food to minimise bone complaints. This demand for bone-free meat propagates from the enduser to the trim producer. It is different between market segments how much emphasis is placed on bone-free product. Typical bone-sensitive market segments are international fast-food chains, sausage- and meatball producers, and high-end supermarkets, for example, but not limited to these. The Trim Management System (TMS) and Incoming Meat Inspection (IMI) systems also find other dense contaminants."

Marel's well known TMS and the IMI analyse beef and pork trim and detects bone and other contaminants. The systems calculates the precise chemical lean ration. While Meyn's BoneScan 440 ADX, a bone detection system launched last year, has a capacity of up to 300 fillets per minute. The system will detect bones as small as 2mm. Products that are suspected of containing bone or other contaminants are automatically removed from the product flow.

deboning: the future

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eboned meat is widely sought by the end consumer, and as the popularity grows so does the need to develop machines that are not only highly automised but can offer new functions. "15 years ago it was enough if the fillet and tenderloin comes off the carcass and the wings got cut at the same time. Today, there are a lot of different products needed from the deboning equipment; single fillet or butterfly, tender detached or left on the fillet, yagen harvesting, wishbone harvesting, skin in one piece. This requires a lot more attention to the machine and its tools," says Baader's Leuschner.

For example, the new Steen ST832 chicken thigh deboner removes cartilage, and is the only machine doing this. The ST832 will debone anatomic cut chicken thighs with a weight range from 140g - 200g with a maximum capacity of 38 pieces per minute.

Japanese automated deboning company Mayakawa has said that humanoids within the deboning line is the future. Mayakawa manufacturers the HAMDRAS-R - which consists of a knife placed at the end of a flexible robotic arm - for the pork thigh deboning process. Shin Maekawa, the director of the company, told press last year that it is his intention to produce a robotic human by 2016.

The company is now looking at producing deboning robots that look more human in appearance, as humanoids would take up less space than deboning machines and could debone more than one type of meat. Of course, the company itself stated these solutions would come with a hefty price tag July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 39

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Waterless Works

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MAREL

s ki n n i n g

The large water footprints for beef, pork and other meats indicate the large volumes of water used for their production. Meat Packing Journal's editor Rhian Owen speaks with Marel Stork, Prime Equipment Group and Weber about the advantages of waterless skinning.

Marel's Deboflex forms part of a deboning and skinning solution

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July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 41

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T

o prevent food poisoning bacteria, chilling has to be carried out quickly after carcass dousing at the end of the slaughter process and the chilled state has to be maintained through processing and transportation. In the US and Europe, fresh meat must be stored and shipped below 4°C. While food safety is of the upmost concern for processing facilities, for the skinning process, this poses a problem.

Sander de Bruijn, area sales manager at Marel Stork, explains that in order for breast fillets to be tender and juicy, processors mature breast caps. However, cold breast caps that have matured in crates for a long period of time can be difficult to skin. “The temperatures of the raw material are getting lower and lower. This has an effect on the skinning performance. If you have a raw material at the temperature of five or six degrees celsius it is much easier to remove the skin. But with the demand of a four degree shipment temperature, to be on the safe side facilities are going to cool down to two or three degrees celsius. In some places, when they store the product over night the refrigerators are running just a little over zero, so it's almost frozen the skin. This is what it comes down to: Due to the low temperature, the skin removal becomes more difficult resulting in the potential damage of the meat, which is a cost to the processor," says de Bruijn.

To overcome this issue Marel Stork launched a deskinning module for its AMF-BX breast cap filleting system earlier this year. The AMFBX is made up of modules responsible for different process steps installed along a transport mechanism with turning product holders.

De Bruijn says that the new deskinning module delivers better and more consistent skinning “as it will handle different sizes of breast cap with minimal adjustment, and is

In low temperatures skin removal becomes more difficult Sander de Bruijn, Marel Stork area sales manager

less vulnerable to changes in temperature.

Processors will still achieve a good performance at temperatures from two degrees celsius due to the new technology we are using with this vertically-mounted single skinning roller and shoe assembly."

Breast caps enter the skinning module tip first. A scraper draws up the skin, after which the roller and shoe pick it up at the tip and pull it from the breast cap in a single piece. Skin is discharged into a container or the receiving bin of a vacuum transport system.

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waterless way

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long with proper temperature control, water is a huge concern for the industry since bacteria such as listeria needs moisture to grow. Manufacturers of skinning equipment are increasingly using waterless technology to decrease spoilage and reduce water-related operating costs.

Ohio-headquartered company Prime www.meatpacking.info

prime equipment group

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Left, top: Baader's chicken breast deboner and skinning maching Left, bottom: Marel Stork's chicken skinning system Above: The Prime Equipment Group Cone Deboning Line is a semi automated system for skinning and deboning

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July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 43

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Above, left: Weber's ASE Twin 533 skinner allows automatic removal of membrane and light to medium layers of sinew and fat.

Equipment Group launched a new line of waterless skinning equipment last year for chicken products such as boneless breast butterflies, bone-in thighs and whole legs.

The company's waterless skinning design incorporates an air knife assembly to keep the paddle wheel clear of skin and fat material during operation as opposed to traditional models using water.

Prime Equipment Group's Waterless Skinner models eliminate the need for water during the skinning process, reducing water-related operating costs, and preserving the quality of skin pieces commonly used in secondary processes. “When we looked at improving our skinning machine, one of the things we did is to remove the use of water. Water can contribute to bacteria loading on the product. This way, we are also preserving the quality of the skin commonly used in further processes." says Prime Equipment Group president Joseph Gasbarro.

De Bruijn agrees: “We do not use water, and we do not want to use water. Moist room temperatures in terms of bacterial growth is an ideal combination. From a practical perspective we do not want to use water, especially when you are selling the skin for further processing 44 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

purposes."

Weber manufacturers skinning machines and recently launched its ASE 533; the desinewing and skinning machine is idea for processing large cuts of beef, veal and pork. While Weber's ASW 560 is an automated high-performance, control-cut, conveyorised derinding machine for derinding pork parts. Wilfried Wittkamp, head of skinning department, Weber, says: "Water has a big influence on appearance and defensibility of fresh meat, that is why we avoid the use of drinking water in the skinning process - unless customers wish to apply this."

Meat and poultry meat processors use large quantities of water and generate equally large volumes of wastewater. While facilities are looking to reduce their carbon footprint, the need to reduce the industry's water footprint is often overlooked. Recent research has shown that some 27 percent of the water footprint of humanity is related to the production of animal products. While, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently stated that it takes more than 2,400 gallons (10,910l) of water to produce 1lb (454g) of meat.

Gasbarro says: “More and more meat plants are becoming environmentally conscious and want to reduce the amount of water they use. www.meatpacking.info

weber

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Above: Weber's ASX 460 skinner

For Prime Equipment, to advance our product in Europe, we knew we had to get rid of water.

Processors in Europe use little or no water in second processing so this design was necessary to meet this standard."

breaking into europe

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he European Commission describes the CE mark as a “passport" that allows manufacturers to circulate industrial products freely within the internal market of the EU. The CE mark certifies that the products have met EU health, safety and environmental requirements that ensure consumer and workplace safety.

“The CE requirements are still something we're learning about," says Gasbarro. “There are some small changes we're going to have to meet, but otherwise the demands are similar. We use all stainless steel, food grade plastics, and we know how to keep the design clean."

Prime Equipment Group has contracts with some of the US' largest food companies including Tyson Foods, Hormel, Craft and Pilgrims Pride. “We're hoping to have the same success in Europe as we have in the US; we'd like to have the same traction in Europe as www.meatpacking.info

we do in the US within the next two to five years. We’ve built our company around this one machine. We’re going to continue focusing on improving the design of our machines," says Gasbarro.

While the payback for the machine is typically six months, Prime Equipment Group's hope for relatively speedy implementation of its “no water" design in the EU is a tall order considering the company says it's the most expensive skinner in the world. "However, this is because it is completely customised," Gasbarro says. “We have left and right hand drive machines, we vary the heights and lengths and types of conveyors that we use to fit the operation. Being completely customisable allows us to sell more skinners. Our customers do not have to build their process around the machine, we build the machine around their process. That’s a big distinction between us and our competitors. They don't customise their machines like the way that we do. We have to explain this, as we often hear they can buy a machine from three or four other manufacturers for half the price. But when we have to redesign a machine we have to make new drawings, new manuals and there is a lot of engineering time in doing that."

July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 45

EUROPACK SUMMIT

8 – 9 September 2014 | Grande Real Villa Itália Hotel & Spa | Cascais | Lisbon | Portugal

KEY TOPICS •

Exploring holistic innovation, from materials to formats and trends

•

Nurturing early and consistent interdepartmental communication and strategy alignment

•

Rapidly expanding visibility, enhancing brand image and pioneering product distinctiveness

•

Maximising efficiency and accomplish cost reduction, adaption ability and production optimisation

•

Ensure competitiveness and relevance in the constantly evolving online world

NETWORK WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTS LIKE •

Dr. Martin Zethoff, Director Global Packaging Technology Laundry & Home Care, Henkel

•

Hitesh Bagai, Senior Manager, Design Experince, Imperial Tobacco

•

Shira Rosen, Packaging Development Manager, Strauss Group

•

Ulrik Skovgaard,Rasmussen, Innocator & MD, GrowersCup

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Kevin Dickey at kevindi@marcusevansch.com or tel: 312-540-3000 ext 6615

The event provided an excellent interactive forum to understand status quo of packaging industry. The overall organisation is very dynamic with a good balanced of one to one sessions and keynote presentations.

Global Packaging Manager, Unilever

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The missing

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a d d i t i v e s

piece

In processing and further processing a miriad of additives and ingredients are available to improve, taste, apprearance and texture. They may also aid water binding, counteract fat separation and help preserve the meat. Technical editor James Chappelow looks at some of the staple ingredients of the industry and the role they play

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he first primitive man to skin a rabbit was the founder of the meat processing industry. Whoever accidentally dropped the meat in the fire became the first chef. Through centuries of experimentation, food production, with meat at its core, became a complex art-form far beyond the demands of mere survival. A staggering variety of products became available to tantalise the taste buds.

The very act of eating became a cultural habit of immense social and religious significance all around the world. It would be unthinkable to imagine any celebration without the equivalent of “killing the fatted calf”.

Historically, only the lucky few had access to the best food and extensive choice. For the majority the meals of celebration came few and far between and all too often food remained a means of survival. In the developed world this is, thankfully, a condition that has passed.

Even the poorer members of society demand variety and quality in a secure food supply.

The meat processing industry is key in meeting this challenge. It is all very well to hark back to times when shopping was daily and nutritious three course meals were presented to the family by the loving housewife – if such times ever really existed for most. Society now functions at a different pace and food must be available quickly and conveniently. The meat producers have to match the flavoursome ingenuity of top chefs – often by employing them – to provide food for the masses at a price they can afford.

Fresh or frozen meat provides only part of the answer. Other meat products have been developed to fill the gap. Hence the almost endless range of cured meats, dried meats, sausages, pies, pasties, stews, burgers and other forms of processed meats that are on the market. A wide range of ingredients is added to meat not just to successfully ape the great chefs but to do so on a mass scale and in such a way that the food stays fresh and remains palatable and safe to eat. Manufacturers have to understand the science of meat. They need to know how to deal with concepts such as shelf life while retaining all the eating qualities that the public expect. All of this must be achieved economically.

water as an ingredient

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ngredients used by the meat industry serve a number of linked functions. Their overall purpose is to introduce or improve certain quality characteristics such as taste, flavour, appearance, colour, and texture. They may also be added to improve the water binding properties of the meat, to counteract fat July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 49

separation or they play a part in the preservation of the meat. Often ingredients are added to act as meat extenders and fillers which increase the bulk of the meat. The extenders are additional proteins which add to the more expensive meat protein. Some additional animal protein, such as whole milk and eggs may also be used to do this job. The fillers - cereals (including their refined form of starches and flours), roots, tubers and vegetables – are additional carbohydrates that “fill up” the volume of the otherwise low carbohydrate meat. Another group of non meat ingredients is the binders, which may be high in protein but which are added in small quantities to improve both water and fat binding.

All the ingredients used in food processing have to be listed on the packaging of the product. This is usually done by percentages, with the largest quantity first. Consumers have expressed concern with the fact that the first ingredient on the list is usually water.

The main controversy has surrounded the percentage of water found in uncooked meat, particularly in poultry and pork. In the UK leading supermarkets were accused of charging 65p ($1.09) a kilo for water as water additives made up “nearly a fifth of the meat” in frozen chicken breasts (Guardian 6/12/2013). This apparently applied to Brazilian chicken which arrived in the UK frozen and was then “tumbled” with water and water-binding additives before being refrozen. In earlier cases supermarkets were under investigation for selling products that were injected with water. According to the retailers, the rationale for such a process is to add to the eating quality of the product by making it more succulent. As might be expected, there are EU regulations (mirrored by the USDA and other non EU authorities) about this issue and current investigations by the Food Standards Agency centre on the definitions of “preparation” and “product”.

For both cured and cooked meat products the industry is clear that the addition of water is necessary for technical reasons and to compensate for cooking losses. Water is used in solutions of salt and phosphates to solubilize muscle proteins in the preparation of foods such as sausages, frankfurters and meat loaves. This creates a strong protein network that holds the structure together after cooking.

As water is a natural component of meat – making up from 60-80% of its composition – it 50 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

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Popular additive MSG was discovered in seaweed

is inevitable that water loss will occur during cooking. This is usually a loss of around 30% and such water loss is compensated for during the production process. The addition of too much water would have a detrimental effect on the final product. Water is an essential part of the curing process and serves as the medium by which a number of soluble ingredients may be added to the cured meat. Injection and tumbling are used to replace water loss after cooking of cured meats. At this stage phosphates and binders may be added to add to the water retention properties ofd the cured meat. In this way the cheaper cook-cured ham is produced.

The amount of added water must be specified on the labels when it is above 5% in cook-cured products and above 10% for uncooked meats.

common salT

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he second ingredient that is commonly found on the descriptions of meat products is salt, otherwise known as sodium chloride. Salt has an ancient pedigree in meat production. It is also essential for human health as part of the mechanism for maintaining fluid balance in cells.

Salt is both an ingredient and a preservative. For many centuries the salting of meat, especially to store it for the winter months, was the best method for preservation. While refrigeration may have taken over salt's role in preservation – the www.meatpacking.info

concentrations of salt that are accepted now are too low for this function - it remains an important ingredient in food production. It has multiple functions. It prevents microbial growth, it is an aid in creating emulsion stability, it is a binding agent during cooking, it increases the water-holding capacity of meat products and, as is evident in the ubiquitous salt cellars that adorn most tables, it enhances the basic meat taste and flavour.

Salt is generally recognised as a safe food ingredient. Over the past few decades questions have been asked about the possible health implications of eating too much salt. This is related to hypertension conditions where doctors recommend a low sodium diet. Heart problems can be linked to excess fluid build up caused by sodium. The US “Dietary Guidelines”, which are similar to those of the EU and are backed by the World Health Organisation, recommend that the sodium intake (salt is the source of almost all sodium consumed) should be no more than 1,500mg per day for those on salt restricted diets and no more than 2,300mg per day for the general population.

Meat producers have responded by cutting down on salt level. In the USA“Reduced sodium” means a 75 percent reduction of sodium from the original recipe; “low sodium” means 140mg or less per serving and “very low sodium” means less than 35mg per serving. While fresh meat is anyway naturally pow in sodium, some July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 51

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processed products are higher. Some low sodium products have been developed – such as hot dogs with 250mg of sodium or less - and the industry continues to take note of tis problem even though the majority of high sodium products are non-meat products.

Monosodium glutamate

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third very common ingredient which some may class an additive – is monosodium glutamate. This is the sodium salt of the naturally occurring amino acid, glutamic acid. It was first manufactured from Japanese seaweed in the 19th century and quickly became established as a staple of most Asian cooking. It is an example of an “umami” or savoury taste.

It is now widely used in the meat processing industry although it is sometimes given a different name: monopotassium glutamate, glutaven, glutacyl, glutamic acid, autolyzed yeast extract, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, E621, Ac'cent or Gourmet Powder.

This has happened because of health scares over the possible effects of MSG. The problem was very effectively analysed by Alex Renton in The Observer in July 2005: “If MSG is so bad for you, why doesn't everyone in Asia have a headache?” In 1968 it seems that a Dr Ho Man Kwok described symptoms that he felt after eating Chinese food.

This was labelled “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” and ever after the campaign against MSG has been mounted. Renton pointed out that if you “Google” MSG “you will find it blamed for causing asthma attacks, migraines, hypertension and heart disease, dehydration, chest pains, depression, attention deficit disorder, anaphylactic shock Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases and a host of diverse allergies” After reviewing the cases on both sides of the argument, Renton, who admits, “I have little faith in the food industry”, concludes that, “I am going to give MSG a conditional discharge”.This conclusion is accepted by most governments. He also points out the long list of common foods – such as soy sauce, tomatoes, grape juice, peas and mushrooms – that all contain significant amounts of free glutamate.

The case of MSG, a very useful flavour enhancer in the meat industry, illustrates well the type of scrutiny that meat processors have to face.

Sodium nitrite is another chemical that is found so commonly in processed foods that it might also be termed an ingredient as well as an additive. Without it most meat products would soon become unpalatable as the nitrite provides the “pickling red” colour and stops the meat from turning grey when heated. It has two

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further important properties: it inhibits microbial growth in canned meats and it stabilizes fats to lessen rancidity. Only tiny amounts – between 0.01% and 0.03 percent- are added to produce significant results. Chemicals from the phosphate group are also added in small quantities – with an upper limit of 0.5 percent - to increase water holding capacity, stabilize the texture of meat, reduce rancidity of fats and reduce microbial growth. The importance of phosphates in “Enhanced pork” production is demonstrated in Rhoda Miller's work (Texas A&M University “The functionality of non meat ingredients used in Enhanced Pork”) which shows the impact of these chemicals on juiciness, tenderness and flavour in pork products. The enzyme Transglutaminase is increasingly being used in some processes to replace phosphates.

filling and extension

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any more familiar ingredients will also appear on the labels of meat products.

Many of these are used for filling and extension purposes. Of the cereals, maize is used in the low-cost meat products, sometimes in the form of ground maize bread; wheat is used as flour, rusks or breadcrumbs; and rice, either as plain white rice or as rice flour. Care is taken when using rice as it absorbs so much water and is thus often precooked or soaked before use. A number of pulses are added – peas, beans lentils and chick-peas, for example – with due care being taken to pre soak and cook immediately to avoid spoilage due to enzymatic reactions. Soy beans are used in a variety of ways in refined form: soy protein, soy flour, soy concentrate, and soy isolate – which acts as a binder rather than a filler. This is known asTextured Vegetable Protein or TVP. Roots and tubers are also commonly used as fillers.

Some of these are less familiar to western consumers. Cassava or manioc is grown in many tropical countries including the Philippines, India and many countries of Africa and it represents the third largest source of food carbohydrates in the developing world. In the meat processing industry it may be used fresh ( taking care to avoid the bitter variety), as Cassava flour or as Cassava starch. Sweet potato and potato starch are also added as fillers as are bananas and plantains. Vegetable oils are used as a substitute for animal fats, particularly in Halal foods.

Some animal products are also widely used.

Milk is added either as milk protein (caseinate) or in the form of dried skimmed milk as a functional binder which is water-holding and fat binding. Levels of milk protein should not exceed two percent. Gelatine – an edible jelly www.meatpacking.info

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made by boiling animal skin and bones – adds cohesive properties to meat mixes and as the temperature lowers after cooking the resulting product is solid, elastic and easy to slice. The addition of blood plasma, often used freeze dried, increases the protein level of a product and adds to its water binding capacity. It is used in products such as frankfurters, hot dogs and meatloaf. Eggs are used as both ann extender and binder in meat products.

There are many other natural ingredients that make up particular recipes in meat processing.

The obvious ones are those that add flavour and distinctiveness to particular products. These would include onion and garlic as well as a complete range of herbs and spices. Smoke flavour may be added through the use of woods such as hickory in a process in which smoke is collected in water, aged and filtered to provide not only the taste of the smoke but also colouration. The browning of meat that is characteristic of roasting is provided through the use of sugar, corn syrup, dextrose or even www.meatpacking.info

honey powder. The combinations and variations of flavour available to the meat processor are literally endless.

controversy

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ore controversial is the use of other additives. The various regulating bodies both national and international test all ingredients and additives used in all foodstuffs.

This leads to the publication of lists naming and describing the additives and setting limits for their concentrations. On the lists will be found the infamous E numbers. The various forms of glutamate discussed above all have E numbers in the 260 range. They also include chemical flavour enhancers and colourants. While the industry is happy to justify the use of some of these chemicals, particularly on the grounds that they contribute to freshness and longer shelflife, they have on occasion caused great concern amongst the general public. Links have been July~August 2014 | Meat Packing Journal | 53

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made between some of the additives and the behaviour and health of children in particular.

There are also concerns about the impact of such substances over a long period of time.

This has led to a prevailing feeling the the more “natural” and “organic” a product is the better it will be for the health of the consumer. It is interesting to note how slowly the authorities act to remove particular additives from the “approved” list. This is jointly a measure of bureaucratic inefficiency and the levels of disagreement within the scientific community on some of these substances. The meat industry has responded to these issues when necessary, although the greater public concern has centred on animal welfare issues and additives that are added in farming, such as growth hormones.

Health foods

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Nother prevailing fashion has been for more healthy foods in general, keeping fit and avoiding obesity. “You are what you eat” has become the war cry of the dieting masses. This has again put the meat processing industry under scrutiny. The quest to reduce sodium intake has already been mentioned.

Pressure has produced not just “low salt” options but also “no salt” products. In some countries school meals have removes salt from the menu and from the dinner table. This is not a simple matter as for many “salt free” has become synonymous with “taste free”. It seems somewhat farcical to take this action against salt only for the consumer to then drench the plate with a good top dressing of salt. Levels of fat have also come under attack. “Low fat” is now a common label – meaning below 3% with the slightly weasel words “reduced fat” and “lower fat” also on parade. “Saturated” and “unsaturated” fats are now discussed in a cloud of ignorance.

In both cases the meat industry has responded to public pressure but a liking for “a good bit of crackling on the pork” does not seem to have been tempered. Sugar is the latest demon to the added to the list. Shocking amounts of sugar have been “discovered” in fizzy drinks, so beloved of children, and there is even a talk of a sugar tax. Surprise has also been expressed at the amount of sugar found in meat products. By comparison with other foods the amounts are small and, as with most ingredients, the sugar serves a complex function in meat preparation, not only helping to counteract the astringency of salt but also to play a role in water binding and in fighting the growth of bacteria.

Dieting has become a sporting activity for

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many and it demands calorie counts from food manufacturers, which have duly been included, and even appear on some restaurant menus.

This adds to the ever growing volumes of information that appear on the packaging of all processed foods. It is right that the consumer should know what they are eating. Knowing whether or not the meal as a whole or each of its ingredients is good for you is another matter. Unfortunately, for meat products, as for many others, information overload is almost as great a problem as ignorance had been. Almost every week comes more advice from apparently authoritative sources about how much of what is good for you. In the UK “Five A Day!” in terms of fresh fruit and vegetables is trumpeted at every opportunity, which is fine except different numbers are chosen in different countries even within the EU. All of this kind of hype is, in the end, advice.

The consumers have the right to eat what they want. The meat industry has the job of providing the very rich variety that is demanded. It is a market often under attack where competition is strong. Meat processing companies do not survive through complacency. They need to maintain their edge and this ensures that they will continue to search for the best ingredients to make their products the ones that serve the consumer best.

references and further reading Malabar. Meat processing additives and binder definitions, www.malabarsuperspice.com/ reference.htm USDA. Additives in meat and poultry products FOA. Meat products with high levels of extenders or fillers. www.fao.org/docrep/010/ ai407e/ai407e16.htm John R Romans et al, 2003. The Meat We Eat Rhonda Miller, Texas A&M University.

Functionality of Non-Meat Ingredients Used in Enhanced Pork.

Alex Renton, 2005: If MSG is so bad for you, why doesn't everyone in Asia have a headache? The Observer K. Zeratsky. What is MSG? Is it bad for you?

Mayo Clinic.

F.Lawrence, 2013: Supermarkets selling chicken that is nearly a fifth water. The Guardian Food Production Daily, 2004: Waterinjected meat: the UK's latest food scandal? www.foodproductiondaily.com/Supply-Chain/ Water-injected-meat-the-UK-s-latest-foodscandal www.meatpacking.info

Specialist for the Food Industry

Innovation

Sludge handling & Dewatering

3600 Projects in 95 countries

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Industrial Waste Water Treatment

24/7 Service & Helpdesk

Turnkey

AQUA Industrial Watertreatment Worldwide partner in design, engineering, manufacturing, installation and 24/7 service of advanced systems for industrial waste water treatment, sludge handling and dewatering.

MPS meat processing systems Red Meat Slaughtering | COď™… Stunning | Blood Collection Carcass Splitting | Cutting & De-boning | Food Logistic Systems Industrial Waste Water Treatment | Service & Spares

Company Head Office:

MPS/ AQUA Albert Schweitzerstraat 33 P.O. Box 160 7130 AD Lichtenvoorde The Netherlands T: +31 544 390500 info@mps-group.nl

MPS Worldwide: Chile, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Scandinavia, Spain, UK/Ireland and USA.

www.mps-aqua.nl www.mps-group.nl

wa s t e wat er

Extracting value from wastewater

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hat do we mean by dirt?

It’s a problem considered by the anthropologist Mary Douglas in her 1966 work Purity and danger. Discounting earlier writers’ claim that concepts of impurity are rooted in primitive religious fear, Douglas says, “Dirt is essentially disorder. There is no absolute dirt; it exists in the eye of the beholder. Dirt offends against order.

Eliminating it is not a negative movement, but a positive effort to organise the environment.”

We can make practical use of this understanding when we consider how to build waste treatment systems: rather than looking at them as merely a way to eliminate pollutants, we can see them as a way to organise things for profit. That’s the approach taken by Dutch wastewater recycling firm Redox.

The implications of this conception of dirt were separately developed into a

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practical theory and basis for policy by the Dutch politician Ad Lansink. Starting his career as an academic, lecturing in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Nijmegen, Lansink became a politician in the 1970s. By the end of the decade, Lansink was a member of the Dutch parliament, and focussing his work on environmental issues. In a 1979 parliamentary motion, he proposed a model for how governments should select between waste management options. This model became known as Lansink’s Ladder.

The aim should be to ascend the ladder, dealing with waste in the most efficient way possible.

Lansink’s Ladder has become the basis for how many Dutch policymakers and businesses view waste. John Luppens, area manager at Redox Water and Recycling Technology in Winterswijk, The Netherlands, explains the steps of the ladder: “We are in the recycling business.

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wa s t e wat er

Biological reatment plant in Egypt

We work with a value pyramid, known as Lansink’s Ladder: first, you try to prevent waste; second, if you make waste, you try to sort it, and sell it as profitable products; third, if you can’t make products, you try and use it as fuel; finally, if you can’t do that, you send it to landfill.

“As an example of preventing waste, in the slaughter line, you can extend the blood drip collection period. When you slaughter an animal, blood leaves the neck arteries. The longer you bleed the animal, the less blood ends in waste water. So, you can prevent waste through blood loss collection.

“You can install equipment that prevents blood being contained in the feathers from chicken. So, if you have animals in line, when you cut the neck of the first bird, it flaps around, spraying blood on itself and its colleagues. The blood goes on its own feathers, and those of the animals next to it. So, feathers are soaked in blood. When

www.meatpacking.info

you want to remove the feathers, you need to increase the temperature of the bird’s epidermis to 50°c. In the scalding tank, blood gets dissolved into the water, creating waste. A new system, from the Dutch company TopKip, puts a cone to catch blood around the chicken before you kill them. It stops the animal fracturing its bones, and prevents blood going on the feathers of other birds. It drastically reduces the amount of blood in the wastewater.

“If you do have pollution in the water, you should try and remove the pollutants and sell them as product. We are developing machines to remove meat particles in such a way that you can use them as pet food. Or you can recover the fat, and use it as base material for production of detergents, lubricants, and as fuel. Finally, to recover energy, you either build digesters, or an anaerobic wastewater treatment system, which allows

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ALl images: redox

When we consider wastewater, it’s often the waste aspect and the associated costs of disposal that’s most prominent. However, as Tom Burnett finds talking to Redox’s John Luppens, what’s in the water can often be a source of value

wa s t e wat er

Top five turkey consuming countries, 2012 Method Efficiency Example Prevention Most efficient Prevent blood entering water through extended blood drip collection Reuse as Seperate meat products particles from water to sell as pet food Reuse as Less efficient Extract whole components fats to process into detergents or lubricants Combustion Convert sludge into biogas in a digester or anaerobic system Disposal Least efficent Dispose in landfill Lansink's Ladder gives us an easy model for understanding waste management.

As we ascend the ladder, we more efficiently deal with waste, preventing costs or extracting value from it.

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you to work with a high fat concentration in the water.”

Luppens says that, focussed as it is purely on wastewater management and recycling, across a range of industries, Redox is able to offer its clients a variety of ways to ascend Lansink’s Ladder.

“We have different types of screens, we have five different types of settlers, three different types of water separators, two types of circulators, three different types of bacterial water systems, two different types of anaerobic systems, three different types of sludge watering systems: everything you can buy in wastewater treatment systems.

“Clients say they want to have cheapest system: but they don’t say when they want it to be cheapest. At first investment? At

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wa s t e wat er

A sorting Line mining an old landfill in The Netherlands

the building stage? At the civils stage?

Or when they’re running the plant? Most don’t know what they mean by cheapest, until you show them the options.”

Luppens says businesses should consider each of the costs of a system. The investment cost is the most apparent, but over the life of a plant not necessarily the one that matters the most. Some systems, for example, will require huge storage ponds for wastewater, requiring extensive civil engineering work. Others will cost more to build. Some will require regular spending on chemicals. Others may be highly efficient and will generate a pleasing return on investment, but require more upfront costs.

Luppens sees his role as helping clients

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make those choices. “In our case, we can’t be dismissed because we don’t have a certain system the client prefers. We are one of only a few companies that can offer every possible system. We help the client decide which is most appropriate for them.

“Redox has all these technologies available, but we’re not prophets. We don’t decide what’s best for our clients. We describe all of our systems in layman’s terms, and they choose what is best.”

As Lansink’s Ladder demonstrates, some options can be viewed not just as a cost, but as a source of revenue.

Luppens says, “We see wastewater from the clients’ perspective. Most companies see wastewater as a mix of waste and water: you remove the waste, then do something

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wa s t e wat er

with water. Our approach is that wastewater is product mixed with water. Our clients are very good at selling protein. They can recover meat protein, and sell it. We have systems that recover scraps in such a way that you can convert into pet food.

“With the fat in wastewater, if you remove it in a way that the fat is not split into free fatty acids, you have a valuable animal grease you can use for lubricants, detergents, and biofuel.

Most of our competitors just convert this fat into biogas using digesters. But these are more expensive, and yield less money than if you recover the fat in full for other products.”

Seeing the client’s perspective, means considering the environment the client is working in. Luppens gives the example of a series on installations Redox has worked on in the Middle East and North Africa. He says, “We’ve installed systems at the biggest Halal slaughter house in world, Almarai, in Ha’il, Saudi Arabia, which slaughters around 900,000 chickens a day.

“Alwatanir Poultry, their biggest competitor, has a chemical system, which they want to replace with a non-chemical system. We’re also working with Alwatania in the Egyptian city of Six of October, between Cairo and Alexandria.

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Above: Fat recovery at slaughterhouse in Germany

They have a non-chemical biological system with non-chemical pre-treatment. They were so impressed that their mother company in Saudi, are now replacing their existing chemical system with non-chemical.

“Saudi is a distinct country. It’s very hot; they produce oil, so energy is very cheap, but they have to import every chemical they use from Europe. So, while chemical systems may be very popular in Germany, they are not in Saudi Arabia.

“If you are about 20° from the Equator, you are in the zone where you have most deserts. In Mexico, the Sahara, the Gobi, water conservation is very important, so technologies where you can reuse treated water, in cooling towers for example or washing of live animals, is very important.”

The client’s choices are also shaped by how they view their business. Luppens says, “Some people prefer to invest their capital in the slaughter line, because they know they can get a certain return on investment on slaughter.

They then have to look at other opportunities to return investment. One of these is wastewater treatment. The savings can be substantial” www.meatpacking.info

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R O P F I A L E U Q A

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wa s t e wat er

Aqua, part of MPS, offers a range of wastewater treatment systems. Working from the idea that ‘every wastewater stream is unique’, the company aims to find an appropriate solution for customers around the world. Tom Burnett profiles the company

M

PS has its roots in the slaughterhouse business founded 110 years ago, in 1904, by Dutch industrialist Gerrit-Jan Nijhuis. The company was bought by the Stork industrial group in 1987; Aqua was also purchased at this time, bringing the two businesses together as part of a broad group of related meat processing equipment suppliers.

Aqua specialises in treating industrial process wastewater and sludge. The division prides itself on its deep knowledge f production processes, especially in the fields of food processing and textile refinement.

Aqua provides solutions to industry for both partial flow and complete end-of-pipe projects. Systems are tailored to the nature and the degree of contamination and the different phases in the production processes from process water preparation through to wastewater treatment and the collection and processing of separated sludge.

The production environment, local and regional legislation, and environmental provisions will vary in different locations.

With its own offices and agents around the world, Aqua has extensive knowledge of local market situations and legislations. It creates cost-effective systems based on its worldwide knowledge of both large and small scale projects and its experience of water treatment technologies and industrial production processes.

Aqua’s systems treat wastewater at each stage of the recycling and disposal process.

www.meatpacking.info

Among the many systems it offers, three significant technologies are flotation, biological water treatment processes, and coagulationflocculation-flotation (CFF).

skimming off the fat

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he basic principle of flotation will be familiar to anyone who has made stock at home, leaving it to settle and then scraping off the layer of fat settled on top. In Aqua’s flotation systems, a similar process is at work on an industrial scale: the water is left to settle, and fats are mechanically removed. This initial step is vital to the operation of the other components of the system.

The company’s Dafinci flotation units are suited for application in pre-treatment systems as well in biological treatment systems. The unique design of these systems guarantees an optimal separation of the various pollution fractions and the reduction of sludge volumes.

The scraper system facilitating the automatic sludge discharge is fitted with tailor made dewatering provisions.

Pre-treatment of heavily polluted wastewater matters, because of the impact on the performance of the total biological system.

Aqua’s delivery programme includes a series of Dafinci flotation units designed for for such wastewater flows.

The pretreatment process needs to be conducted in the most efficient way to reduce

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costs of downstream water treatment systems.

Pollution load reductions of up to 90 percent can be achieved, allowing the dimensions of biological treatment to be reduced substantially.

Biological systems require separation of activated sludge. Aqua’s Dafinci flotation units are offered as an alternative to standard separation systems. In the Dafinci flotation units suspended solids are optimally recovered by dissolved air flotation, with the help of an Aqua micro-aeration system. The micro-bubbles attach themselves to the suspended solids, resulting in rapid separation. The floating sludge in the unit is removed by means of a scraper system. The discharge of sediment can be accomplished by the application of an integrated transport auger.

bacterially cleaned

T

he next step in many systems will be a biological water treatment process. The purification yield can be increased considerably through biological water purification processes as they decompose dissolved organic substances as well. It can be a first step towards the reuse or partial reuse of wastewater.

Organic substances are decomposed by micro-organisms, which can be categorised in two groups of bacteria, aerobic and anaerobic. In systems using aerobic bacteria, the decomposition reaction takes place in the presence of oxygen or oxygen donors. In anaerobic systems, the bacteria obtain their energy from a reducing metabolism.

The company says water purification by aerobic microorganisms provides advantages like more effective phosphate and nitrogen removal.

Aerobic micro-organisms are actively present in the active-sludge system. The purification yield is highly dependent on the level of competition between the micro-organisms.

The relation between the nature of the contamination, the number of micro-organisms and the oxygen required play a decisive role.

Aqua’s understanding of the most effective interrelations is the result of many years of experience.

The biological decomposition process in the aeration basin benefits from the presence of the right population of micro-organisms.

The creation of optimum circumstances in a separate small reactor—the ‘selector’—stimulates the growth of this population. As most of the contamination can only be digested as food by the floc-forming bacteria under the right circumstances, Aqua makes a customer-specific design for each project.

In aerobic systems, some bacteria can also degrade contamination in low-oxygen situations 64 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

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if nitrate is available. During this denitrification process nitrate is converted into harmless nitrogen gas and is thus removed from the water. Phosphate is consumed by bacteria as they store energy. This phenomenon can be used to biologically remove phosphate from the water.

Phosphate can also be removed by the addition of certain substances to the water.

Before the purified water can be discharged from the system, the bacteria must first be separated from the water. Aqua has three types of separation processes: its MBR filtration system; its Bioflot flotation system, and a variety of sedimentation systems.

splitting an emulsion

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n many industries, most of the contamination is emulsified, such as proteins in the effluent of the meat and dairy industries and dyes in the textile industry. The Aqua CFF process—coagulation-flocculation-flotation— removes this emulsified contamination from the water. The system works by overcoming the electrical charges that repel and separate particles in an emulsion, forming them into larger clumps that can be more easily removed.

The first step in the CFF process is coagulation. Here, the repellant electrical force between particles is reduced, allowing them to form pinpoint ‘flocks’. Aqua has four coagulation processes.

The next stage is flocculation. Here, the ‘pinpoint’ flocks obtained through coagulation are connected to form even larger flocks which are easy to separate. Finally, the larger flocks are separated from the water by flotation. With flotation microscopically small air bubbles are injected into the water. These adhere to the flocks, which then promptly come to the surface and can be collected as flotate from the water surface. If required, the quantities of flotate can be reduced by several dewatering technologies or used as carbon source in anaerobic digestors to obtain biogas out of it.

reducing waste globally

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ps has its own offices across Europe, and in Russia, North America and China, and a network of agents around the world.

Examples of the benefits of its wastewater expertise can be seen in recent jobs in Spain, Central and South America.

Aqua was selected to upgrade the water treatment system at one of Spain’s leading slaughterhouses.

The plant slaughters thousands of pigs a

66 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

day, and includes hygienic and industrial blood collection, and a tripe washing area.

When the plant was first built, the owners installed a chemical pretreatment system. In 2007, the owners selected Aqua to replace this chemical system with a full biological water treatment plant.

The wastewater treatment plant includes a special micro-screen pre-treatment system for a partial flow, used for stables and truck cleaning water. A rotary screen is installed at the slaughterhouse. Once the water has been filtered it is pumped 1.5km to the new treatment plant.

At this plant it is pretreated with a nonchemical dissolved air flotation (DAF) system.

The pretreated wastewater is passed to a highly efficient aerobic biological treatment with a double DAF unit for maximum sludge/water separation. This also ensure high dry solids content of the excess sludge. With the use of automatic effluent controls, the plant discharges only the cleanest water to the sewer.

upgrading central america

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ne of central America’s leading seafood processors opened a new plant at the start of the 2000s, tripling its production capacity. To manage the wastewater generated during the production process, the plant owner asked Aqua to supply a state-of-the-art treatment plant.

The plant owner wanted to reduce the plant’s CO2 emission and sludge production, among other environmental targets. Aqua supplied a turn-key solutions, including its new generation Aqua VoltaFlow (UASB) anaerobic reactor and its VoltaMix anaerobic sludge digester. The VoltaMix converts all fat from the pre-treatment system into an organic sludge which can be used as compost. The total sludge discharged is reduced by more than 50 percent.

In another project, Aqua was asked to upgrade wastewater treatment systems for a leading South American food producing and processing company. It had originally installed a chemical wastewater pre-treatment system, but as the poultry, pork and fish producer grew, the plant owner asked Aqua back to install a full biological treatment plant. This would both meet the needs of its increased capacity, and anticipate future limits on wastewater discharge.

At the plant, Aqua increased the pretreatment capacity to be able to operate without chemicals. A BioClar aerobic biological clarifier system was supplied to reduce the pollution level in the effluent to a minimum. A filter belt press was also installed, reducing the total amount of produced sludge substantially, and keeping the operational costs of the plant to a minimum. www.meatpacking.info

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C HIN A

MEAT EXPO Shanghai Shanghai is the gateway to China's meat industry and the SME Meat Expo is an opportunity to enter the market, MPJ takes a look

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hanghai, with a population of about 30 million, is the most important economic, trade, financial and logistics center in China. Shanghai’s crucial strategic position, economical radiating affection and great market potential show to all the world that Shanghai is no doubt one of major exhibition event promotion cities in China. According to Meat Expo organiser the SME, Shanghai is the route into the Chinese market.

The meat industry and consumer market in China develop very fast. Shanghai is now one of China’s most advanced meat bases. Therapid development of the meat processing industry and prosperity of meat consumers offer a great opportunity for the meat manufacturing and processing industrial firms.

China is keen to attract overseas exporters to the Chinese market to feed the ever growing shortfall in meat supply.

In it ninth year the Shanghai International Meat Exhibition showcases the latest technology and developments from around the world. The show attracts food manufacturers, retailers and equipment manufactures.

68 | Meat Packing Journal | July~August 2014

www.meatpacking.info

SME

C HIN A

WHEN AND WHERE SME Meat Expo is will take place on 11-13 August at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, some 30min from Shanghai Airport

EXHIBITORS SME Meat Expo attracts hundered of exhibitors from around the world, on show is: Products ~ meat, flesh, beef, pork, mutton, veal, chicken, sausage, ham, bacon, etc.

Processing equipment and technology ~ slaughtering, butchery, cutting, freshness preservation, freezing, storage, packaging, canning, smoking, cooking, etc.

Ingredients ~ Those ingredients and additives needed in the processing of meat.

And more ~ Breeding, analysis and test techniques, patents, publications, etc.

www.meatpacking.info

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EUROPACK SUMMIT

8 – 9 September 2014 | Grande Real Villa Itália Hotel & Spa | Cascais | Lisbon | Portugal

KEY TOPICS •

Exploring holistic innovation, from materials to formats and trends

•

Nurturing early and consistent interdepartmental communication and strategy alignment

•

Rapidly expanding visibility, enhancing brand image and pioneering product distinctiveness

•

Maximising efficiency and accomplish cost reduction, adaption ability and production optimisation

•

Ensure competitiveness and relevance in the constantly evolving online world

NETWORK WITH INDUSTRY EXPERTS LIKE •

Dr. Martin Zethoff, Director Global Packaging Technology Laundry & Home Care, Henkel

•

Hitesh Bagai, Senior Manager, Design Experince, Imperial Tobacco

•

Shira Rosen, Packaging Development Manager, Strauss Group

•

Ulrik Skovgaard,Rasmussen, Innocator & MD, GrowersCup

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT Kevin Dickey at kevindi@marcusevansch.com or tel: 312-540-3000 ext 6615

The event provided an excellent interactive forum to understand status quo of packaging industry. The overall organisation is very dynamic with a good balanced of one to one sessions and keynote presentations.

Global Packaging Manager, Unilever

MEAT PACKING THE INTERNATION OURNAL AL MAGAZINE F OR THE MEAT MAKE TH AND POULTRY IN E M P.24 TURKEY DEMAONSDT OF DUSTRY UNDERST AND P July~Aug ust 2014

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Issue 3 | Volume 1

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MAXIMISIN G YIELD AN D SPEED A DRIVERS F RE THE OR DEVELO PMENT IN DEBONIN

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