Meat Packing Journal, Sep-Oct 2019, iss 5, vol 5

Meat global

data

and

September~October 2018 Volume 5, issue 5 ISSN 2054-4685

analysis

for

processors

p a c k i n g

and

exporters

J o u r n a l

Chicken feet Hoedown just keeps getting bigger

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le ad e r

Losing my belief

F

orty-three-years ago to the day I was at Ft Ord, California, going through US Army boot camp. This was the second year of the non-draft ‘Peace Time’ army and to say that the army was having a hard time recruiting after the Vietnam War would be an understatement.

Years later I read in the New York Times that during my

three-years in the army and then beyond for about two more, that they had the lowest quality recruits ever. The article didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know. My

Red Tractor scheme, the farm received five inspections

entrance test scores were the highest of anyone at my

during the past year. Five pre-announced inspections.

unit in the 18th Airborne – even including the officers – and I am far from being the sharpest knife in the drawer.

In boot camp, the only way they could guarantee

Just like how our drill sergeants lined us up, no doubt Rosebury Farm did the same with its pigs and staff.

However, an animal rights activists went in and they

recruits could pass the final tests was to line us all up

discovered a much different farm after the inspectors

about a week beforehand and have us count off: “One,

left. Video taken at the farm revealed a worker swinging

two, three, four.” All the ‘ones’ went off in a group as did

a piglet and smashing its head against a wall; pigs being

the other numbers. Then all we did was memorized the

illegally and repeatedly shocked with an electric prod

four answers to the practical exams that we would have

in their sides and neck; dozens of dead piglets littering

on test day. I learned mouth to mouth resuscitation on a

the floor; and pigs crammed into a pen so small they’re

solid rubber dummy. How do you stop blood flow? I don’t

forced to lie on each other in a heatwave.

know, I think that was a ‘2’ group question, I was a ‘3’.

How did the drill sergeants know what we’d be tested on? They’d been around the block a few times.

On the day of the practical’s we were lined up by the

Finally, a Red Tractor inspector went in unannounced and low and behold, they found violations and took away Rosebury Farm’s assurance certificate.

Red Tractor says that it uses 450 inspectors who carry

inspectors – exactly the same as the drill sergeants did –

out 60,000 inspections a year. However, according to

and we counted off. No surprise, I was exactly the same

the UK Times, just 50 of last year’s inspections were

number.

unannounced (0.08%). To make this even sweeter, farmers

I can still tell you what my exams were. With one, somebody looking suspicious would suddenly run in front of me clutching an ammo box. I chambered a blank round

– who must pay to be inspection by a private certification company – can choose which company visits them.

Other activist groups have snuck cameras into other

in my M-16, fired it into the air and shouted: “Do not move

Red Tractor farms in the UK and filmed other harrowing

or I will shoot! Command of the relief, post number five!”

scenes such as a sow being eaten alive by other pigs.

The kid that went after me panicked, got the words

While any reader of this column knows I’m not a fan of

mixed-up, and shouted: “Do not shoot or I will move!”

the actions of animal rights groups, in this case I take my

Even the inspectors found that funny. He still passed.

hat off to them and say job well done.

The Army was under huge pressure to keep the ranks

I’m also not of a fan of many of the actions in the food

filled; the drill sergeants were under huge pressure to

industry. What has gotten under my skin for years has

make sure most boots made it through. All our exams

been UK major supermarkets – including high end ones –

were the same; a joke.

creating fake farms and logos for their meat and produce

My time at Ft Ord came back to me recently when I

packaging. Now that the truth has come out about Red

read about a problem at Britain’s biggest assured food

Tractor, I have to question what can you believe in food

standards, the Red Tractor scheme.

assurance schemes. It seems like not much.

Red Tractor has been getting heat for a string of poor

Over the years, I’ve wondered what my old drill

welfare conditions at some of its farms – farms that

instructors are doing these days. Now I know, they must

proudly display the Red Tractor logo. The main farm in

all have become Red Tractor inspectors.

question is Rosebury Farm which has pigs. As part of the

meatpacking.info

Velo Mitrovich, Editor

September~October 2018

3

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co nte nt s

contents 73

24 20

48

38

COVER: chicken feet 24 - One of the most worthless parts of a broiler is also one of its most valuable. The amazing world of the chicken feet market plus a look at two other parts of the bird with big potential

red tractor under heat 11 - UK's leading food assurance scheme is defending its farm inspection process

Too much of a good thing 11 - High production, low feed costs, and a trade war means too much meat in USA

auz drought hits meat industry 14 - NSW is experiencing 100% drought leaving meat industry worried about survival

'the one question' 16 - Marketing columnist Elliot Begoun talks about how to figure out your strategy

bun wars in new zealand 18 - The battle between the real deal burger and the fake takes to the skies over NZ

food fraud 20 - A new system, used by Welsh lamb, can prove where your meat came from

meatpacking.info

poland takes crown 38 - Few thought when Poland joined the EU that it would become Europe's No.1

pet food & rendering 48 - Profits continue to climb with pet food, proving a bonus for ingredient companies

the big aquarium 51 - Aquaculture is where the world turns to for seafood, where are they going to turn for feed?

render without smell 53 - Company makes system which can not only dispose of waste, but also make a profit

poultry stunning 61 - CO2 or electric water bath? Despite the cost, there is a real movement to CO2

who you gonna' call?

73- Backpage interview with Gene Grabowski, THE press expert in managing a recall

September~October 2018

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n e ws

Red Tractor slammed over inspections

T

he UK’s leading food assurance scheme, Red Tractor, is under fire for giving advance notice on

farm inspections. Red Tractor is used by 78,000 farmers in the UK and has enjoyed broad support from farmers,

This means that farmers are nearly always warned well in advance about the inspections, and could clean up and remove dead or sick animals.

Farmers pay for the inspections, which are carried out

chefs and celebrities. However, that has under attack

by private certification companies and can choose which

after animal rights activists secretly film approved farms in

company inspects them.

operations, exposing breaches animal welfare regulations.

Red Tractor said: "On occasions, a small minority of farmers may breach the rules and by doing so are

Red Tractor said that it was now considering increasing the number of unannounced inspections for 2019.

Peter Stevenson, chief policy adviser of Compassion

cheating the system that is designed to re-assure the

in World Farming, told The Times: “Farm inspections

public. This behaviour will not be tolerated by Red Tractor

by Red Tractor and other assurance schemes must be

and those discovered are removed from the scheme.

unannounced. If Red Tractor wants to be taken seriously it

"Red Tractor works to ensure the highest standards are maintained and the British public can be confident that

must substantially strengthen its welfare standards.”

Jim Moseley, Red Tractor's chief executive, said:

the vast majority of our farmers are proud of the work they

'When independently benchmarked against other global

do, producing great food for us all to enjoy."

schemes, Red Tractor compares extremely favorably.”

Red Tractor said it conducts 60,000 inspections a year

He added: “We remain in a very competitive market

– conducted by 450 private contract inspectors. However,

and need to ensure that we don't inadvertently switch UK

only around 50 inspections, or 0.08%, of the inspections

consumers to more imported product where standards

not announced.

can be very different.”

‘Buy American’ forces China to shop elsewhere for meat

A

keystone of US President Donald Trump’s trade war with China is the belief that China needs US products

of Peak Pegasus was big news on China’s social media network with almost all rooting for the ship to beat a deadline of 12 noon after steaming from Seattle for almost a month. It arrived at 1730 instead.

With political problems mounting for Trump, plus the

more than the US needs theirs, with China ultimately

importance of the Republicans maintaining control of

caving in to his demands.

both US congressional houses to prevent impeachment

This isn’t working, at least when it comes to US meat and other agricultural imports, which are worth millions of dollars to US farmers, processors, and shippers.

After the USA slapped tariffs on Chinese products, the Chinese hit back with tariffs of their own, making US beef and pork prohibitively expense for Chinese consumers.

In this ongoing saga, Chinese importers are now buying more beef and pork from Australia, Brazil, Argentinia, and a few other countries as well.

With a major drought affecting much of Australia and

of the president, there is uncertainty as to how interested he is in ending the trade war at this moment.

Too much production hurting US

M

eat and poultry is piling up in the USA, thanks to a record 102.7 billion pounds being produced

this year, along with tariffs cutting into meat exports, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

It seems like only a few years ago MPJ was reporting

farmers there looking at reducing the size of their herds,

on how US cattle ranches were cutting herds due to

this could come at a very fortuitous time.

drought. Disease was rife in the pork and poultry industry.

According to the US Meat Export Federation, the USA

Now, however, cheap grain prices have encouraged

exported around $140 million in pork, beef, and related

the meat sector to rebuild and they’ve been doing so like

by-products – about 10 percent of all US beef and pork

gangbusters. The result has been declining prices and

exports – to China in June, before the tariffs kicked in.

investors losing the taste for meat.

So far China is targeting imports of US commodities –

According to The Wall Street Journal, shares of Tyson

such as the for-mentioned meat, soybeans, wheat, and

have declined 27 percent so far this year; Pilgrim’s Pride

petrochemicals – which it can easily replace from other

shares have fallen 41 percent, and Sanderson Farms 25%.

markets. In early summer a ship carrying US soybeans to China failed in its rush to beat the tariffs. The journey

meatpacking.info

With low prices, consumers are foregoing bland chicken and picking up a steak or chop.

September~October 2018

11

n e ws

Brazil strong and getting stronger

S

outh American giant Brazil is looking at a solid 2.3 percent rise in chicken production next year to nearly

Saudi Arabia: The largest single Brazilian market has imposed import restrictions due to the stunned halal

13.9 million metric tons (MT). This is being boosted by

poultry issue. Saudi imports of chicken meat from Brazil

a recovery in exports and increased domestic demand

during Jan-July 2018 declined by 28 percent. In July 2018

thanks to a stronger economy. Improved broiler genetics

alone, after the extension given by Saudi Arabia expired,

and low feed costs – mostly due the large soybean

exports of chicken meat dropped by 46 percent. Although

crop – rounds out this production high and should lead

Post trade sources are optimistic that exports to Saudi

to increase profit margins, reported the USDA Foreign

Arabia will recover in 2019, Brazilian government sources

Agricultural Service (FAS).

reaffirmed that negotiations continue. This issue is yet to

Chicken meat production is highly concentrated in the three southern states of Brazil with 65 percent of total

be resolved.

Mexico and Chile: Exports to Mexico and to a lesser

chicken production. These states contain a large number

extent to Chile will continue to expand in 2019, as the

of packers who also produce pork and are responsible

Brazilian government negotiates the increase in the

for the technological package provided to producers and

number of poultry plants. Mexico is now among the 10

large-scale distribution of major inputs. The production

largest importers of Brazilian chicken meat.

system is highly integrated.

Although Brazil is the largest exporter of chicken

During a recent bilateral meeting, President Peña Nieto of Mexico told President Temer of Brazil that negotiations

meat in the world, there continues to be a strong push

for a Free Trade Agreement with Brazil would have to

to open new markets and expand or maintain current

wait for the conclusion of the current NAFTA round of

markets.

negotiations with the United States.

According to Post trade sources, Brazil exports

Angola, Iraq, South Africa and South Korea: These

chicken meat to 140 countries, but only 25 countries

markets are target for intense market promotion, as

account for 91 percent of all chicken meat exports.

traders believe these markets will continue to increase

Below is the current outlook for exports in 2019 to these

imports of chicken meat from Brazil.

major markets.

China/Hong Kong: Trade sources project exports to China to expand next year because a higher number of

Russia: Local traders indicate that exports to Russia will also recover next year.

The Venezuelan market remains closed for Brazilian

plants approved to export to that market are now in place.

exports and likely to continue closed next year. The

However, the anti-dumping measure on Brazilian chicken

political and economic crisis has affected the country’s

meat remains the main burden for Brazilian exporters.

ability to pay for imports.

Selling the US by region

rank total price per package and cut as most important and least likely to factor type of meat.

T

he Beach Boys in their 1965 hit song ‘California Girls’ brought the listener on a tour of the USA,

According to CP, in efforts to drive greater sales – including incremental and impulse – suppliers and

singing about what made women different in each part

retailers can respond to these overall indicators, through

of the USA; it ends up fresh meat buyers are the same,

targeted sourcing and strong partnerships, need-base

according to research by Category Partners (CP).

assortment, and merchandising to highlight these

Midwest consumers are more likely to rank type of meat and sale/promotion as critical and are the least

attributes and pricing/promotion for perceived value.

CP surveyed 1,000 consumers, ages 21 to 65+, of

likely to care about it being “all natural”. Northeast

varying races and household sizes and incomes across

consumers are most likely to name quality/appearance,

the USA. Respondents were asked to select their top five

health, all natural and intended use as top factors and are

attributes, out of 20.

the least likely to care about value/price per pound.

Southern consumers, on-the-other-hand, are most

With the sexes, women are noticeably more concerned than men about quality/appearance, type

likely to cite value/price per pound and texture/

of meat, animal welfare, all natural, and health. Men are

tenderness as important and least likely to name sale/

more concerned about flavour/taste, total price per

promotion. And Western consumers are most likely to

package, quantity/servings per package, and use.

12

September~October 2018

Meat Packing Journal

n e ws

Chilled NZ beef market opening wider in China

C

chain capability for chilled meat.

long-awaited protocols have been signed with China; a

nine percent to $2.9 billion. The US – still New Zealand’s

sign that industry investment in market relationships are

largest export market for the product – saw a rise of eight

beginning to pay off, reported Meat Export NZ.

percent to $1.3 billion, while second-ranked market China

hina emerged as the fourth largest destination for New Zealand chilled beef exports in 2017/2018 and

A trial allowing exports of chilled meat to China from 10 specified New Zealand meat processing plants is proving

The overall value of beef exports also increased, up by

grew by 29 percent to $639 million.

The major exception, however, was Japan, where beef

successful, explained Meat Industry Association (MIA)

exports dropped by 22 percent by volume from 2016/17

policy analyst Matt Conway. Most of the early shipments

to 14,221 MT. Conway explained this was largely a result of

were smaller consignments sent by airfreight, as the

Japan’s imposition of additional tariffs in August on frozen

companies involved in the trial wanted to ensure product

beef imports from countries that Japan did not have an

integrity could be maintained.

FTA with, including New Zealand, when an import volume

“However, the meat companies are now confident of

trigger level was reached. This increased the tariff on New

the cold chain and most of the later shipments have been

Zealand frozen beef imports to 50%, compared to tariffs of

significantly larger and have gone by sea.”

27% being imposed on Australian beef exports.

MIA analysis of Statistics NZ figures for 2017/18

“This impact on our trade with Japan highlights

shows a total of 1,896 MT of chilled New Zealand beef,

the significance of the recent conclusion of the

accounting for seven percent of total chilled beef exports,

Comprehensive Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership

and worth $16.2 million went to China during 2017/18.

(CPTPP) negotiations and the importance of the

In conjunction with the chilled meat trial, the meat

successful completion of the CPTPP. For the New

A&B PROCESS for our beef SYSTEMS exports into Japan,” said Conway.

industry and NZ Trade and Enterprise jointly funded

Zealand meat industry, one of the most significant

research to gain a deeper understanding of China’s port

outcomes is that it levels the playing field with Australia

clearance and in-market supply, distribution, and cold

Heat hurting grains

NSW in 100 percent drought

T

A

his summer’s massive, prolong heatwave in Europe and Asia is already driving up hay and feed prices.

In the UK, farmers are slaughtering some of their cattle

earlier than usual and are being forced to feed others hay due to a lack of grass, reported the BBC. The hay being

AVURE

ustralia’s most populous ™ state, which also produces a quarter of the country’s agricultural output, has been

declared to be in “100% drought”. This could have a global effect on beef, lamb, and grain prices.

Farmer in New South Wales have told stories of failing

fed is what the farmers would have used over the winter

crops, severe water shortages, and being unable to feed

months, which will drive up prices later in the year.

their livestock. Some have spent up to A$10,000 ($7,326)

Other regions that have seen grain production fall includes: Russia, Ukraine, Romania, France, and Germany with levels so low, German farmers are unsure

per truckload of hay just to feed their animals, according

C.A.T.

to now former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Stock agent Simon Bourke told the ABC: “We’re selling

if they enough feed for their livestock, according to the

livestock we don’t want to sell…down the track there’s

International Grains Council. China has also been affected,

really not going to be too many cattle or sheep left.”

as have other parts of Asia. In Australia, an on-going drought has hurt key grain growing areas.

For the most part, however, North and South America have escaped, and both hemispheres of the Americas are experiencing bumper crops. Indeed, in the USA farmers

Already the world’s driest inhabitable continent, a region more than twice the size of Texas is in the grip of drought that’s lasted six years and shows no signs of abating.

DOUBLE D

But the problem is not confined to New South Wales,

are experiencing too much of a good thing. With tariffs in

more than half of neighboring Queensland is in drought,

place affecting metals, the price to build a new storage

along with parts of Victoria and South Australia.

silo has shot up.

“I don’t think [US] farmers recognize the extent of

Experts say the drought is likely to worsen a global grain shortfall and lower beef prices. Officials say they

the opportunity they have, but it’s going to be very big,”

fear the drought will drive many farmers from their land,

AgResource’s Ben Buckner told The Wall Street Journal.

leaving the country to feel the impact for years to come.

14

September~October 2018

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C O M M ENT

The one question that can determine your strategy

I

desk drawer.

factors that would go into answering that question fully. It is

functional coffee creamer. Your hypothesis is that you can

not one that can be determined from a simple tertiary look

capitalize on an existing habit and replace non-nutritive

at a product or brand.

empty calories with functional beneficial ones. Where is

often get asked, “Is retail the right place for my product or should I start somewhere else?” Now, there are many

That said, there is one question that is more important

Let’s look at a different example. You are introducing a

that intersection? Certainly, the local or national coffee

than just about any other: Where is the unmet need my

chain. Maybe the employee breakroom. But also, retail.

product fills or the problem it solves most acute?

Remember, in this case, you are trying to parlay an existing

Understanding that is vital to the development of a

habit. How do consumers supply that habit? In the dairy

good channel strategy. Most reading this are involved in

case at their local grocery store. If you want to steal share,

bring disruptive, innovative products to market. Products

you need to be on that same shelf.

that are doing something different from the others in

One important note is that intersection moves over time.

the category, or potentially even creating a whole new

Using the first example, as people begin to integrate the

category. So, where is the intersection between your

use of the product into their daily routines, they are going

product and that moment of need. Find that and you’ve

to start wanting to make that purchase where they buy

uncovered your best chance for consumer traction.

everything else. Maybe that’s when you make the move to

As I write this, I realize this reads a bit conceptual rather

retail.

than actionable. So, let me offer some concrete examples.

The above are both very rudimentary examples. There

You are bringing a new product to market. You’re taking

are countless other variables that would go into a channel

the beverage out of the bottle, let’s say in the form of a

strategy such as economics, supply chain, accessibility,

single serve stick pack. Where is it that the need is most

and more. However, starting with asking the question;

immediate or the problem the most challenging? It’s

where is the unmet need my product fills or the problem

not where there are ready-to-drink options. It’s not likely

it solves most acute, can be a powerful tool in helping you

at home. Rather, it is when we are on-the-go, traveling,

determine the most effect path-to-market.

working out, sitting at our desks. It’s when we cannot

Elliot Begoun is the Principal of The Intertwine Group, a

fathom yet another sip of water from our Hydro-flask.

practice focused on helping emerging food and beverage

Where is that intersection? It’s in the airport concessionaire,

brands grow. He works with clients to design and execute

the micro-market in the employee breakroom, the outdoor

customized route-to-market and go-to-market strategies

store where you by your hiking supplies. Maybe it is at the

that build velocity, gain distribution, and win share of

gym or yoga studio, and of course online, where I can buy

stomach. His articles appear in publications such as the

it while I am thinking of it and stock up my backpack and

Huffington Post, SmartBrief, and Meat Packing Journal.

16

September~October 2018

Meat Packing Journal

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c o mm e n t

plant

burgers

The bunfight’s over, move along In the last issue of MPJ we ran ‘Vege Burgers that Taste Good’ and in Meat Talk 19 ‘Battle of the Plant Burgers’. In a followup to both of these, we are running a guest comment from Ali Spencer, editor of Meat Export NZ.

production capacity and has just advised it will shortly be served up in the UK in Tesco’s supermarkets. New Zealand-based Sun-Fed has also taken the opportunity to announce it will also be bringing out another beef-less burger, based on pea protein, by the end of the year.

The challenges and opportunities presented by the new alternative proteins have been extensively researched by the red meat sector. Currently, these are

by Ali Spencer

I

mainly US-based products, and they been produced in response to US consumer concern about factory farming.

They are also backed by a lot of investment. When the

t’s been interesting to witness the online bunfight

money dries up, that is when the ‘proof will be in the

this week on Air NZ’s decision to allow its business

pudding’. Thoughts are that the products will eventually

premier travelers to try Impossible Burgers.

find a home as ‘ingredients’.

Air NZ and Impossible Foods’ stance, while

So, the global producers of red meat have another

disappointing, was very marketing savvy and New

protein competitor. So what? There are already plenty of

Zealand got drawn into what was essentially a publicity

others that we navigate around. Despite all the current

stunt to extend a marketing budget. The news went far

noise, the vast majority continue to eat meat – here in

and wide, provoking emotional responses from carnivore,

New Zealand 94 percent are regular meat eaters. But,

vegetarian/vegan and climate change sensitivities. Even

consumers should be allowed to select what they want

New Zealand politicians became involved, with one eye

to eat.

on the future rural vote, presenting it as a slur by the nation’s carrier on our farmer/regional integrity.

It should be noted that Air NZ offers an excellent

The road ahead is clear: to sustainably produce high quality, wholesome meat for discerning consumers seeking a great, natural experience. We are looking

service, it does already serve ‘normal’ proper beef

forward to seeing New Zealand’s beef and lamb

burgers in other parts of the service and, as it always

marketed under Beef + Lamb NZ’s Taste Pure Nature

has done, it also picks up other countries’ products from

banner and it will be interesting to see how our marketers

its destination points for its return journey menus. This

counter the new competitors in market over the coming

time it made the decision to include a new vegetarian

few years.

menu item for its business premier passengers – no

In the meantime, plenty of work is underway on

doubt having noted all the interest from New Zealanders

making sure New Zealand’s red meat sector is as fit for

wanting to try them on the US west coast.

the future as possible. Amongst other things, while New

Impossible Burgers are formed from plant-based

Zealand accounts for just 0.17 percent of the world’s total

material, using a genetically modified yeast as one of

greenhouse gas emissions, we are playing a leading

the ingredients to produce haem iron, which is how it

role globally in finding ways to mitigate GHG emissions,

can resemble a meat ‘burger’ as closely as possible,

especially the methane belched by livestock, and

even to the point of ‘bleeding’. The aim is to give meat

improving productivity.

eaters an alternative opportunity to assuage their climate

The present Impossible is on an in-flight lap table. The

change concerns by filling their faces instead with a

probable future will still include naturally-raised, grass-

non-meat patty to save the planet. They are not alone,

fed New Zealand beef, lamb, and venison.

another plant-based product Beyond Meat is expanding

18

September~October 2018

Bunfight over, move along now please …

Meat Packing Journal

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i n s i g ht

food

fraud

Welsh lamb to use ‘origin fingerprint’ technology Food fraud in the fish industry, where one species is substituted for another, or farmed for wild, is rampant. Indeed, a test by the NY Times found over 75% of all salmon samples not what they claimed to be. While fraud in the meat industry is nowhere as bad, as the horse meat scandal showed, we are not immune.

A new method of detection by Oritain, however, might improve the odds. MPJ reports

supply chain and can be scientifically verified that it came from an animal reared in Wales.

“Of course, Welsh Lamb already has an excellent reputation for traceability among consumers thanks to the PGI scheme, administered in conjunction with NSF Certification. But the new agreement with Oritain takes this to the highest level, ensuring that our premium brand has the ultimate in robust product traceability.”

Oritain’s technology analyses trace elements and isotopes which animals absorb from their natural environment and the grass and water that they consume, to establish a distinctive Welsh ‘fingerprint of origin’. Its techniques are highly-respected in a variety of industries, including food, textiles and pharmaceuticals.

by velo mitrovich

T

“Consumers are increasingly demanding that the food they buy can be traced back to its origin,” says Howells. “By underpinning our PGI scheme with Oritain’s

hanks to advanced technology, millions of

scientific techniques, people buying Welsh Lamb at

consumers can rest assured that if it’s Welsh

home and abroad can be absolutely confident that it has

Lamb they want, it’s Welsh Lamb they’ll get.

been reared in Wales – with all that entails in terms of

Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales

has launched a landmark new partnership

with technology company Oritain that will deliver the

the quality of the meat and the high animal welfare and environmental standards of our farmers.”

Grant Cochrane, CEO of Oritain, said; “Welsh Lamb

ultimate in farm to fork traceability for PGI Welsh Lamb.

gets its distinct flavor and characteristics from the

Under the PGI (Protected Geographical Indication)

unique environment it’s reared in, confirmed by its

scheme, lamb must have been born and reared in Wales

PGI designation. What Oritain then does is to provide

and slaughtered and processed in an HCC-approved

complete assurance that the PGI Welsh Lamb consumers

facility if it is to carry the Welsh Lamb label. Oritain’s new

are enjoying – wherever they are across the globe – is

testing method uses forensic level science to underpin

exactly that thanks to our world-leading forensic science.”

this traceability, which is the first initiative of its kind for a PGI product.

HCC’s Chief Executive Gwyn Howells says: “Under this new partnership, lamb can be tested at any point in the

20

September~October 2018

He adds, “PGI Welsh Lamb already has a worldleading reputation for quality and traceability. To have that underpinned by Oritain’s traceability technology will further cement that reputation for the future.”

Meat Packing Journal

food

I’m a German lamb buyer for Didel supermarket chain. I buy lamb from the Welsh Lamb region from various brokers, and I then repackage it, promoting the Welsh Lamb region through Protected Geographical Indication. How would I use Oritain to test the lamb to make sure what I’m buying is really from Wales and not England?

The first step would be to test samples of Welsh Lamb directly from the origin wanting to be verified – in this

fraud

i n s i g ht

origin samples taken from Scotland.

I grow lamb in New Zealand and sell it worldwide under the Gold Leaf brand label. I don’t trust my West Coast North American distributor and suspect she’s buying cheaper lamb from Australia and slapping our label on it. Outside of flying to Sacramento and then driving to Safeway supermarket and buying a leg of lamb for inspection, is there a way I could use Oritain to check?

instance, Wales. The samples will contain naturally occurring elements that are shaped by the environmental

Oritain has a wide network of partners. We often work

conditions in which the lamb is raised and are unique

with third party auditing companies who help us collect

to that location. This will create a chemical ‘fingerprint’,

samples from all over the world, acting as our ‘boots-

connecting the sample to Welsh Lamb PGI.

on-the-ground’. These are trained by us to our strict

We would then take a sample of the repackaged

Standard Operating Procedures and Chain of Custody

lamb and compare it against the samples from Wales

Requirements. When it comes to sample collection, we

in our database. If the samples do not match, this would

can either do this ourselves or via the client.

indicate that the lamb is not from Wales. In the case of an inconsistent result, we work in partnership with the client, to reference against our extensive lamb database to identify where the inconsistent sample originated from.

If the container of infant formula I bought was ¾ genuine infant formula and ¼ fraudulent, would Oritain pick this up?

MPJ was just in Poland and at a poultry processing plant we visited, they go through 260,000 chickens a day. For Oritain to work, how much of a sample number would they have to take?

The number of samples that we would take depends upon the type of risk in the supply chain, however, a good analogy can be found in how financial audits

Yes, we would test the container of infant formula,

are conducted. By taking independent and randomly

comparing it to a genuine batch that was produced

selected samples only a small number of tests need to

from that particular supplier. If the infant formula

be conducted and this will detect if there is something

contained foreign ingredients, we would expect to see an

wrong in the supply chain.

inconsistent chemical profile of isotopes/trace elements, which would indicate that the product had been

How expensive is this technique for a user?

blended/adulterated.

We always work with the producer to find a solution

I’m a Welsh lamb farmer in Wales. I sell my lamb to Didel where they package it and label where it came from. I have my suspicions, however, that Didel is adulterating my lamb with lamb from Scotland. How would I used Oritain to prove this?

that is commercially viable: whether costs are shared throughout the supply chain, or lay solely with an individual company.

Costs themselves can also vary largely depending on the scale of the operation: to which resolution we are mapping the origin, the scale of the auditing

If producers have concerns over the origin of their

program (how many different locations need to be

product sold in the market, we can work with them to

audited throughout the supply chain), and the necessary

produce an origin fingerprint for their specific product. If

frequency of the audits. We currently work with

they have concerns that their product is being adulterated

companies of all sizes, from small, individual producers,

with another product from a particular origin, we can also

producing one product (for a few thousand pounds) to

work with them to produce an origin fingerprint for their

multi-national companies who produce multiple different

‘risk’ origin.

products from multiple different origins (to millions of

In this instance, by testing the producer’s lamb sold

pounds).

in Didel and comparing it against the purported origin on pack (Wales), we could identify whether it was 100% authentic Welsh Lamb. If the samples did not match, then we would work with the client to compare the sample against our lamb database, looking specifically at the ‘risk’

meatpacking.info

For this to work effectively, would you also need something like blockchain in place so you could figure out in which part of the chain the fraudulent activity took place?

September~October 2018

21

i n s i g ht

food

fraud

Oritain's lab tests can prove where meat came from

We would then work with you to conduct random supply chain audits, to ensure the product bearing your label is consistent with your particular origin/farm. In

Our forensic science relies upon a product’s intrinsic

doing so, you can communicate to your consumers that

properties which link it directly back to its origin. This

random scientific tests are being conducted to ensure

means that products can be tested at any point in the

genuine origin. Oritain also offer on pack certification that

supply chain to verify where they come from. Blockchain

clients can opt for – which requires a more rigorous and

in itself is not capable of identifying cases of fraud, or

routine auditing program, but gives further assurances to

where fraudulent activity has taken place, because it

consumers that the product they’re buying is one of the

is only as strong as the data that goes into it. Just as

highest integrity.

labels can be forged, so can the data entered into the blockchain at any stage of the supply chain.

However, blockchain (and traditional traceability measures such as paper-based systems) can

It seems like a lot of work and in an industry that moves massive volumes every day, I don’t see how Oritain keeps up with production levels.

complement our scientific testing methods if a client is already using it as part of their traceability solution. After

To establish the reference database and origin fingerprint

verifying the origin of a product, our clients can securely

for your product we only require a representative sample

store the data on a blockchain to ensure it can not be

of the population, ensuring we capture the variance of the

compromised.

origin concerned.

I grow grass fed, high-end, Scottish cattle in the Highlands. Due to the premium prices I charge, I want to assure my customers that what they buy is the real thing from me. What are the exact steps I would have to take to use your system?

clients’ needs – some want to test more routinely, others

The first step would be to talk with you to understand the

approach is scalable, non-invasive and cost-effective.

Thereafter, we structure auditing programs to meet the test like a financial audit (analysing a random sample of products in a cost-effective way) and other perhaps on a quarterly basis – all dependant on the perceived level of risk and due diligence required on behalf of the client.

Compared to other traceability methods, the Oritain needs of your business and nature of your product. Once we understand the problems you are trying to tackle, we would design a solution to verify the provenance of your product and assure your customers that the Scottish beef they are buying is authentic – including back to the exact farm if required. This will involve taking a sample of your Scottish beef and testing its naturally occurring properties, which give it a unique fingerprint linking the sample to your farm.

22

September~October 2018

With the horsemeat scandal, there were two big problems. The first was that horsemeat entered the food chain, the second was trying to trace where it came. The products that were contaminated in the UK were all low-end, which used meat from numerous suppliers scattered around the EU. Tesco’s and the others were looking for meat bargains, not quality. If your profit margins are based on £0.01, how

Meat Packing Journal

food

cost effective is Oritain and would you be willing to use it?

fraud

i n s i g ht

Second, how would Oritain help in traceability?

Origin is a marker of quality and authenticity, and

Whether a company’s model is based on quality or

independent verification of origin can help brands protect

volume, it cannot afford to be embroiled in a food fraud

their reputation by minimising the potential risk of food

scandal. Both models are susceptible to damage to

fraud. As we’ve seen in food scandals, barcodes and

brand reputation and/or risk to public health – with either

labels aren’t enough and certifications are susceptible to

affecting profitability.

fraud themselves. Oritain offer another tool for companies to verify the actual product itself, without having to rely

Warren Buffet said it takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. Product recalls

on exterior packaging/certification/barcodes. The unique

can cost businesses on average $10 million a year,

selling point of Oritain is that it tests the intrinsic properties

and a single food fraud incident can cost 2–15% of a

of the product that are unable to be tampered with,

company’s annual revenue, not to mention the damage

providing businesses with an extra level of assurance,

to brand reputation. Therefore, to minimize these risks,

ensuring they have the highest integrity source of supply.

During any food scandal, a brand which uses Oritain’s

brands look towards companies such as Oritain to independently verify the origin of their products. We

services will be well positioned to demonstrate the

always look to produce a solution that is commercially

authenticity of its products, or to identify and isolate the

viable for all parties involved and iindependent verification

source of any possible contamination. The horse meat

by Oritain provides a valuable stamp of authenticity for

scandal arose because traceability methods relied on

brands, reassuring their consumers about claims made

packaging and labels, which are prone to counterfeit. The

on the packaging such as organic, fair trade and other

truth lies within: measuring the intrinsic properties of the

provenance related claims.

product is the only way to be certain of its origin.

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September~October 2018

23

Fo cu s

chicken

feet

Call them feet or call them paws, just don’t call them waste It’s hard to believe that something with so little meat, flavor, and looking like a dead man’s hands could be worth so much, but chicken feet are all of that and more so. And leading manufacturers such as Meyn, Prime, GMMI, and Marel have created sophisticated equipment to help you cash in on paws. Editor Velo Mitrovich reports

tells you they’re just like chicken wings because they are not even remotely close, except for the fact that they, too, come in pairs on a bird.

And then there is the appearance. You’d think otherwise but after being steamed and/or fried, they look very much like a human hand, being much bigger than you’d imagine. They can really look creepy.

While steamed, boiled, and fried chicken feet might seem a bit gross to you, they’re considered a delicacy in Asia with the Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Korean communities. Chicken feet are also eaten in Jamaica,

by velo mitrovich

Trinidad, Mexico, parts of South America and South Africa.

In the States, they are commonly called chicken

I

paws and can be found in supermarkets down South

from table to table. While they might call them “phoenix

premium jumbo paws are sold in wholesale markets and

claws”, there ain’t nothing “phoenix” about them, just

eventually make their way into high-end restaurants –

one of the least appetizing – but expensive – parts of a

USDA’s words, not MPJ’s.

f you’ve ever spend much time in China, no doubt

and in Mexican-specialty markets in California and the

you’ve seen them in a restaurant during the

Southwest. They can also be found dried for dog snacks

morning hours. As you sit there while your more

in pet stores.

savvy friends do the Chinese brunch ordering, you might hear one of the traditionally rude waitress

shouting “FENGZHUA!” as she pushes her dim sum cart

chicken; the feet.

Billions are produced by the poultry industry every

Is there a difference between chicken feet and paws?

There is, or at least officially.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, most

Smaller paws, chicken wings, and wing tips, in addition to being sold at wholesale markets, end up at

year and surprisingly to those of us in the West, billions

wet markets and processing plants, which use them in

are sold. Unless you’re at the bank when the checks

finished food products.

come in from chicken feet sales, it is doubtful you realize just how much money is involved with chicken feet.

The market for chicken feet is more varied than that of premium chicken paws; larger chicken feet

Back in the restaurant, it’s hard not to feel a bit

are sold to both wholesale and retail markets and are

squeamish the first time a “friend” piles them on your

more commonly used for family consumption (and in

plate. If you’ve never eaten chicken feet…well…let’s just say

barbecue stores), small feet are typically further cooked

they’re an acquired taste or more accurately, an acquired

in processing plants. Chinese consumers in the US

texture. As you’d expect, they taste like chicken – but that

Northwest and Northeast tend to favor chicken feet over

really doesn’t matter because they’re normally covered in

chicken paws.

an overpowering sauce, which can be soy, garlic, chili, or

According to the University of Pennsylvania, it’s all in

other. While normally served as a dim sum treat, if you get

the cut. UP says that chicken feet consist of the foot and

a chicken feet craving at midnight, no problem, you can

shank, while a chicken paw is a foot cut off at the ankle.

buy them in Asia precooked in sealed snack packs.

This is also called a hock cut. Another way to look at is

There is no muscle, which means no meat, just tendons, tough skin, and cartilage and collagen. This makes them very gelatinous. Don’t believe anyone who

24

September~October 2018

this: if there is a smidgen of meat, it’s a paw. No meat and it’s a foot.

While even in China some people might tell you with a

Meat Packing Journal

chicken

meatpacking.info

feet

fo cu s

September~October 2018

25

Fo cu s

chicken

feet

sneer that chicken feet are peasant food – which they are

Vietnam, man had not yet set foot on the Moon, the

– look at how many global peasant foods have become

Vietnam War was heading towards the Tet Offensive,

mainstream. A short list includes: lobster, snails, tacos,

and the Beatles were preparing to release Sgt Pepper’s

chicken wings, caviar, tuna, and sushi. Any processor who

Lonely Heart Club Band.

thinks chicken feet belong to a renderer is a fool. There

The illegal traders were taking the chicken feet, giving

is money to be made and the big poultry processing

them a bath in chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide to

equipment manufacturers, such as Meyn, Prime, GMMI,

make the feet look white and big, and to quote the South

and Marel, will help you accomplish this.

China Morning Post, to prolong the expiry date.

What is crazy, considering how little of anything is

These feet were already 46 years of date, they going

on a chicken foot and how worthless they’re considered

to try to extend that even further? But what boggles

by poultry producers, most years in China it’s more

most minds even more is this. We’re all guilty of having

expensive to buy a ton of chicken feet as opposed to a

something in our freezer – Aunt Anna’s horrible stuffing

ton of whole broilers.

from three Christmas’ ago that guilt prevents us from

Let MPJ repeat that again. Most years in China chicken feet are worth more than whole broilers.

throwing away – whatever.

But 20 tons isn’t just a box or two, we’re talking about

Due to this, some insane things happen.

some serious quantity here. So, throughout the Vietnam

Five years ago, Chinese police seized 20 tons of out

war and beyond, nobody questioned what must be

of date chicken feet that were being smuggled in from

taking up valuable freezer space, burning up electricity

Vietnam. How out of date where the feet? Oh, about 46

and depriving people of food? Was it always in the same

years!

freezer and it so, what was its make? Forty-six years of

When these chicken feet were being frozen in

26

September~October 2018

continuous service is pretty amazing.

Meat Packing Journal

chicken

Lot of feet out there

feet

fo cu s

in Arizona supply her with free ice cream for life or she would call the police.

T

As any American with a gripe does, she immediately

he chicken industry is about volume - extremely

took a photo of the pack, put it on Twitter, and wrote: “Hey

high volume - and low margins. Meyn, Marel,

Safeway, does this look like chicken breast to you? I’m

and Baader now have processing machines that

vomiting”. Needless to say, Safeway didn’t give in to her

can handle 15,000 birds per hour. The big five world producers in order – USA, Brazil, EU, China and India – will

demands and Twitter froze her account.

So, like how chicken thighs are shipped to Mexico

produce around 61 million metric tons of chicken broilers

and legs to India and South Africa due to American’s

this year, with a world total of 50 billion broilers. Or, since

preference for bland white meat and not dark, chicken

we’re talking about feet, 100 billion chicken feet.

feet are frozen in massive blocks and shipped off to China

If you’re like MPJ, you would look at that figure of 100 billion and think: that’s it, the world has hit pure saturation point with chicken. Everyone who wants a chicken foot on

for a tidy profit.

It all sounds so easy making big bucks with this most worthless of scraps – but is it?

their plate has one, thank you, and doesn’t need another.

Not always an easy sale

But, like MPJ you’d be wrong. Growth has been steady of the last 15 years and shows no signs of letting up. For many chicken companies around the world, chicken feet aren’t a niche sideline anymore, but part of their business core.

Joe Gasbarro, president of Prime chicken processing equipment, teiis MPJ that paws and feet have become a profitable export for most U.S. processors, and others

Y

ou would think with the USA being the world’s largest chicken producer and China being the world’s largest consumer of chicken feet, it would

be a marriage made in poultry heaven. Think again.

In figures supplied to MPJ by Tom Super of the

around the world, thanks to robust demand for chicken

American Chicken Council, the amount of chicken paw

feet in Asia and other regions.

exports from 2100 and their value have been bouncing

Gasbarro says that plenty of processors will tell you

like a ping pong ball. For example, in 2011 the USA

that the profit on paws is extremely important to their

exported 346,917 metric tons of chicken paws, worth over

bottom line. That makes sense when you consider that

a half billion dollars.

if paws go to rendering, they either net no money – or

The next year, although the amount shipped went

in some cases cost money to get rid of. “If you can

up by around 20,000 metric tons, the value dropped to

find a market for them at even 5 cents a pound, that's

around 450 million dollars. Exports fell, rose, and then

pure profit. A 5-cent margin per pound in the poultry

since 2015 have been dropping, with the value all over the

processing industry is a lot,” says Gasbarro.

place.

In an interview conducted by Stephen Dubner of

When ever bird flu hits US poultry flocks, China slams

Freakanomics fame, Carlos Ayala, vice president of

the import door shut. And this year, thanks to the trade

International at Perdue Farms, said that until about 25

war between the USA and China, during the first five

years ago, paws were close to value-less for a US chicken

months of 2108, only 69,000 metric tons have been

company. But thanks to huge demand in China – primarily

shipped, with a value of 111 million dollars.

in southern, Cantonese-speaking – paws have become big profit centers.

Tough luck then for US paw producers? Not quite.

Far for MPJ to say or even imply that there is something

Perdue alone produces more than a billion chicken

amiss going on at the Hong Kong/mainland China

feet a year, which according to Ayala brings in more than

border, but statistics show that when China says no

$40 million of revenue. In fact, echoing what Gasbarro

to US agriculture products – such as beef or chicken

says, Ayala says that without the paw, some chicken

feet – Hong Kong’s imports for the same products rise

companies would be hard-pressed to stay in business.

considerably.

Last year in the USA, Americans ate around 9 billion

For example, in 2011, US paw imports to China

broilers. Out of the 18 billion chicken feet produced,

dropped to 28,488 metric tons. However, US paw imports

American consumption was almost nil except for some

to Hong Kong rose to 308,932 metric tons – almost the

ethnic groups.

entire US supply –or around 98 pounds per Hong Konger.

In fact, some Americans are so turned-off to chicken feet that when one shopper saw – not bought – a pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts that had a chicken

The amount of US beef each and every one in Hong Kong supposedly eats is just as ridiculous.

From handover in 1997 to 2005, paws exported to

paw in it, she said she was “shocked and disgusted”. She

Hong Kong could be labelled as “not fit for human

then followed with a demand that the offending Safeway

consumption” under what was called the Hong Kong

meatpacking.info

September~October 2018

27

Fo cu s

chicken

feet

Standard. This made it easy to ship north then into China, plus USDA inspections were not required. However, in

in the UK.” Considering that in the UK chicken feet have pretty

2005 China unified the chicken paw standard for HK and

much no value, anything China pays would be far, far

Mainland under “edible product” and things have never

higher, so not the most insightful statement Mr Eustice.

been quite the same since.

Still, now that handover has celebrated its 20th

Raymond Le Navenec of French processing equipment manufacturer GMMI which makes a transport

anniversary, the border is as porous as a sieve and a

system for chicken feet, told MPJ that his customers no

smuggler’s dream. Besides going through Hong Kong, US

longer see chicken feet as something to render for animal

chicken paws also enter China through Vietnam, which

feed, but instead treat them like a food item.

we’ve noted, has a long tradition of being a favorite path

“There are more and more demands from Asia for

of chicken feet smugglers. MPJ has to wonder though,

chicken feet,” says Le Navenec. “You can’t treat them as

instead of it being called Ho Chi Minh trail, is it now called

a rendering or waste item but instead you have to follow

the Colonel Sanders Road?

the same rules for human consumption.”

Figures hidden

Chinese demands

W

W

outside of the USA industry councils – most country

down the paws which gets them sopping wet; Brazilian

chicken statistics don’t include chicken feet as if they’re

and EU plants use air cooling which keeps the moisture

embarrassed about selling them.

level low.

ho are the world’s other leading chicken paw producers? Good question but one MPJ doesn’t have an answer for, just a

lot of speculation and conjecture. For some reason –

hat do the Chinese look for in a chicken paw?

First, they prefer the moisture to be

no greater than eight percent. US poultry

producers use a water bath after slaughtering to cool

Even the USDA makes it a slog to find chicken paw

Lighter colored paws are preferred and indeed if

data and the last time they did a FAS Gains Guide to the

they’re yellow and not white, it shows that they haven’t

Chinese chicken paw market was in 2006.

been processed correctly with the yellow outer skin not

Brazil, a course, is a major producer, and in some years is China’s ‘official’ major provider of chicken feet. With

taken off.

Large cities and wealthier consumers prefer US

poultry powerhouses of Poland, the Netherlands and

jumbo-sized chicken paws because they contain more

France, the EU is also a major supplier of feet, but the

meat. Medium-sized Brazilian paws, typically 25 grams

exact amounts are hard to find.

each, are accepted by lower-income consumers.

MPJ has talked to Polish poultry producers who sell them on to middlemen – thankful that somebody else is dealing with them. They had no exact figures for this article except for “a lot”.

Smaller size packages are preferred, as opposed to larger sized US bags.

Joe Gasbarro of Prime says when it comes to paw sales, the key is the grade of the final products. “An

The value, too, of chicken paws is one that is fairly

A-Grade paw – one with zero blemishes – is what export

easy to come up with from 2006 to 2012, but difficult to

markets want most. They want paws that look perfect. ‘B’

find after that. In 2012, China was paying $1,472 a ton of

and ‘C’ grade paws receive typically 50 to 70 percent less.

chicken feet. Brazil was selling whole chicken at this time

If it doesn't look perfect, it can even go to rendering, at no

for $1,236 a ton.

profit.”

In the meantime, Britain is thinking of getting into the chicken feet game. MP George Eustice, minister of state for agriculture, fisheries and food, believes farmers could

Cutting the foot or hock from the bird is only the start of processing process.

Gasbarro says that generally speaking, to process feet

cash in on chicken feet by increasing exports to China

and paws, you need high-volume machines for these

after Brexit.

processes: de-feathering the hock, scrubbing the paw

Eustice says there are opportunities to increase

pads to remove burn marks, cutting the hock to produce

exports of the popular snack to China and other regions

“feet”, cutting the shank to produce “paws”, unloading the

where parts of the bird often rejected by British shoppers

paws out of the shackle, warming the paws to soften the

are highly sought after.

skin, scalding/picking the feet/paws to remove the skin

Eustice told his fellow MPs: "It never ceases to amaze

or cuticle, chilling the paws, transporting the paw to pack-

me that chicken feet are a delicacy in China and can

out via pumps or conveyors, visually grading the feet/

attract UK farmers to cash-in on exports of chicken feet

paws, packing and transporting.

to China, at a value, far, far higher than they can get here

28

September~October 2018

Meyn takes chicken feet/hock processing more

Meat Packing Journal

chicken

feet

fo cu s

serious than anyone else out there. MPJ seen their paw

supplements. Keels with meat still attached go for about

equipment in operation which starts with a chicken

two bucks a pound, perfectly clean can bring in $3.50.

footpad inspection system, which provides a strong

As Grant Parsons of Prime told MPJ, it takes a lot of keels

measure of how the chicken was raised by checking

to make a pound, but pound for pound they’re a higher

for footpad lesions, to hock or feet cutters, and grading

return than breasts or wings.

For those willing to put up with the ever changing

systems.

Throughout the poultry world, one person’s fancy is

landscape of Chinese regulations, there is money to be

another’s disgust. In the UK, chicken wings are so cheap

made with chicken feet. With millions of feet pouring into

people use them to make soup stock and then give

China, however, you need a way to stand out, to make

them to their dogs. In the States, get close to Super Bowl

your product premium – not something that’s 46-years-

weekend and you’ll need to take out a loan to buy a pack

old and smuggled in from Vietnam.

of wings. As one Polish processor told MPJ, if it was only

While some equipment manufacturers tell MPJ they

easier to link up chicken cuts with local preferences, you’d

don’t see a need for grading equipment, we question

make a fortune.

that. On one hand, with profit margins so tight, any extra

In Taiwan, a regional delicacy is called Black & White Rooster’s testicles, with rooster testicles going for 19 to 28 dollars per kilogram depending on the size and

expensive on your end – such as new equipment – will cut into this.

On the other hand, there are few nations MPJ knows

quality. Hats off to Meyn, they’ve adapted their Maestro

of who are so status conscious as the Chinese and this is

processing system to cut out testicles without damage.

even more so in the south of the country where chicken

And Prime makes a special machine to remove the chicken’s keel, this is part of the sternum that

feet rule. Premium chicken feet has got to be a selling point.

Fengzhua anyone?

pharmaceutical companies use to make joint

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meatpacking.info

September~October 2018

29

chicken

feet

fo cu s

Inspects chicken footpads better than human inspector Besides eating, chicken feet are also used to evaluated a flock’s welfare with the feet examined at the slaughterhouse.

At this year’s VIV Europe MPJ gave Meyn’s footpad inspection system a good going over. We were impressed by what we saw. MPJ reports by velo mitrovich

F

ootpad dermatitis or pododermatitis can

a potential on-farm welfare problem. When more serious issues are detected (i.e. high mortality, very high level of footpad dermatitis), stronger administrative or legal measures are taken, e.g. legal notifications which could result in subsequent fines, other sanctions, or even court prosecution.

Selective bock ejector

D

emand for faster poultry production speeds is making it more and more difficult for human operators to perform at the speeds required,

be a significant welfare issue for the broiler

says Meyn. The easiest way to keep up is to add more

industry and rate of footpad dermatitis is

operators to the production line. This ensures quality

widely considered one of the best indicators

levels are maintained, and the expected output achieved,

of poor broiler welfare at a farm. With more

but it increases costs and creates a need for ongoing

and more countries using footpad dermatitis as an

training to keep up with legislation changes. Variations in

indicator of broiler flock welfare, a number of systems

grading and data logging also arise, as a result of human

have been developed to try and assess the incidence

interpretation and human error.

and severity of footpad dermatitis within individual broiler

In order to address these issues, Meyn has

flocks. The Swedish system – a three tier scoring system

developed an automated Selective Hock Ejector system.

– is the most widespread in Europe.

Using information detected in the Footpad Inspection

Recently, Wageningen University & Research,

System (FIS), it can select, per foot or hock, which

Livestock Research, was asked at the request of the

products should be ejected and directed into specific

European Commission Ministry of Economic Affairs, to

processing lines. This allows for non-human consumption

conduct a validation of Meyn’s video-imaging system.

products to be separated automatically from human

The number of feet that could be assessed by the camera was 99 percent, meaning that with the Meyn

consumption.

A Selective Hock Ejector consists of 16 units on a 180°

Footpad Inspection System, the footpads of almost all

turn wheel. As the hocks are transported around the turn

broilers in a flock can be assessed. This is considered one

wheel, they can be removed following a signal sent from

of the greatest benefits of the system, states Wageningen

the FIS. Removal can be pre-set for specific percentages

University.

of product to be removed, or can be determined by the

“The camera measures both feet (with the final result

grading given to the product by the FIS.

based on the foot with the most severe score), rather than

Feet cutter

just the right foot (which is what happens with a manual measurement). There is also the chance that an inspector (unintentionally) fails to score consistently, but adjusts the method depending on the severity of the footpad lesions in the flock. A camera will always measure in the same way. The video imaging system is indeed costly, but it saves work and images,” says Wageningen University.

According to the European Commission, depending

T

he Meyn feet cutter seperates the feet from the hocks. With the hocks hanging in the slaughtering shackle, they are separated by a rotating knife that

cuts the hock into a shank and a foot. When the hocks are cut off from the whole bird with the hock cutter, the shank

on the severity of the results, farmers are notified that

and feet can be separated with the stand-alone feet

testing done at a slaughterhouse showed their farm has

cutter which is placed after the hock cutter.

meatpacking.info

September~October 2018

31

Fo cu s

chicken

feet

Rooster testicles can be big earner DaChan Food (Asia) Limited is one of the largest poultry meat processors in Asia. With the help of Meyn’s Evisceration line, including Maestro, the firm is capitalizing on a niche market and delicacy.

Taiwan’s rich diversity of cuisines includes dishes with distinctive flavors, based on local resources and spices. One regional delicacy, Black and White Rooster’s testicles, commands up to $19-28.00 per kilogram in Taiwanese markets.

Dachan-May Lan Lei Enterprise (Dachan) and Meyn started discussing a new evisceration line two years ago – one that could produce high quality and undamaged products from male and female local colorful birds (1,800-4,000 grams), including the rooster’s testicles with all skin left intact.

"We visited Taiwan for several rounds of consultations with the customer and started

32

September~October 2018

doing on-site tests with the Maestro, hanging birds on the evisceration lines until we had tested and refined a reliable solution for Dachan," says Jacques Kramp, Meyn's senior sales manager.

Local testing showed Maestro did not damage the testicles during evisceration.

Meyn’s eight-inch evisceration line impressed Dachan’s quality department, and they quickly negotiated the order.

"A damaged product is useless. Our investment has helped Dachan achieve exceptional yields with almost no loss of packages. This combined with easy maintenance and low downtime provides us an extremely reliable evisceration solution, which has paid itself off as an investment tenfold,” says Wan Lung Cheng, Dachan's production manager.

Placed in a new processing plant, the line is now up and operating at a capacity of 4,000 bph.

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Fo cu s

chicken

feet

Putting paw production into your line

I

f you've been treating chicken feet as a rendering

out via pumps or conveyors, visually grading the feet/

item at your plant and now want to start selling

paws, packing and transporting.

them, what equipment is involved?

With the Prime system, the above works like this:

According to Joe Gasbarro, Prime Equipment

u Hock Picker HP-3 removes the feathers from the hock

group president, a fully integrated paw-processing

u In-Line Paw Scrubber ILPS-1 which removes ammonia

system from Prime involves several simple-solution

burns and cuticle from paws, while the paw is still inline in

pieces of equipment designed to work perfectly together

the shackle. This upgrades more paws to A and B grade

and integrate fully with existing lines, sometimes in very

u Hock cutter HAM-VI-B removes the hock from the bird

tight layouts.

u Paw Cutter, Unloader, and USDA Reject System

“We specialize in achieving high throughput and

removes the paws from the bird, while the unloader

the maximum A-Grade paws,” says Gasbarro. “Prime

moves paws from the shackle to a conveyor. If a bird is

manufactures probably the most complete line of paw

rejected at the USDA grading station, the inspector hits

processing equipment in the industry, in addition to our

a button and the paws from that bird are then removed

traditional equipment staples in other areas of the plant.

from the conveyor

In the last 15 years, the paw market has grown steadily,

u Paw Picker Scalder PPS-1 serves as the final cleaning

and we've had a consistent, strong demand for our equipment, in the US and from our manufacturing and sales office in Brazil.”

All equipment is designed to help you achieve the highest grades for you paws, says Gasbarro.

“That A-Grade demand led us to innovate several years

As mentioned in the main feature, Gasbarro says that

ago new technology for paw processing. We created our

you need high-volume machines for several processes:

ILPS-1 In-Line Paw Scrubber as an industry-first machine

de-feathering the hock, scrubbing the paw pads to

designed to quickly and efficiently remove burn marks

remove burn marks, cutting the hock to produce “feet”,

from the pads of chicken feet.

cutting the shank to produce “paws”, unloading the paws

“This has the effect of raising the grade of many

out of the shackle, warming the paws to soften the skin,

paws. More A-Grade paws mean more profits, and for

scalding/picking the feet/paws to remove the skin or

processors, the In-Line Paw Scrubber can pay for itself

cuticle, chilling the paws, transporting the paw to pack-

very quickly.”

34

September~October 2018

Meat Packing Journal

chicken

feet

fo cu s

Unlock Keel Profits An increased demand for keels for pharmaceutical use opens up new revenue streams, says Joe Gasbarro, group president of US-based Prime.

Fueling the growing keel market is the global demand for glucosomine-chondroitin, the popular supplement aimed at protecting and rebuilding arthritic joints and cartilage. And the key ingredient in chondroitin production?

Chicken keels.

A keel or carina in bird anatomy is an extension of the sternum (breastbone) which runs axially along the midline of the sternum and extends outward, perpendicular to the plane of the ribs. The keel provides an anchor to which a bird's wing muscles attach, thereby providing adequate leverage for flight.

In plain English, if you've ever boiled or roasted a whole chicken, you'll recognize the keel – it's the flexible wedge of cartilage connecting a chicken's breast muscles at the tip of the breastbone.

With worldwide demand for glucosomine predicted to increase steadily through 2022, keel harvesting has become a major profit center — commanding up to $3.50 per pound in the pharma market.

The easiest way to automate keel removal is Prime Equipment Group’s effective and highyielding CKH-1 Chicken Keel Harvester, says Gasbarro. Designed to sit astride the cone line in the final position, the CKH-1 automatically cuts keels from carcasses, and sends them to a tub or conveyor, depending on processing needs.

The key to maximizing profits is how the keels are sold,” says Gasbarro. “We’ve had buyers tell us that they’ll pay $1.50 to $2 per pound for unprocessed keels with meat protein still attached. At the high end, keels processed through a separator or cleaned in a small scalder are commanding up to $3.50 per pound.

“Needless to say, with those kinds of prices, Prime’s CKH-1 machines pay for themselves extremely quickly,” Gasbarro says. “It pays to look into keel harvesting, and Prime is here to help.”

According to Prime, no added labor is needed to extract the keel with the CKH-1 and it is effective at all line speeds. Depending on quality of the keels, a machine/project payback in under six months could be expected.

meatpacking.info

September~October 2018

35

chicken

Fo cu s

feet

Automated processing of feet The global market for feet and paws from broilers is growing steadily, making it interesting for poultry processors around the world to install foot processing systems. Marel describes its modular inline chicken feet processing system in a report written for MPJ.

the automatic Foot Unloader. Once cut and inspected, paws or feet are unloaded from the shackle and conveyed to the foot scalding tank. Residual shanks are discharged from the line and collected for rendering or for use in pet food manufacturing.

Whatever technique of foot immersion scalding is chosen, however, feet must be hard scalded. For capacities up to 12,000 bph the Stork Feet Scalder L is the ideal solution. The scalder uses a rotating auger to

A

convey feet through the scalder, containing water heated

customer demand can be for paws or for whole feet.

section. Depending on capacity, one to four skinners will

Paws are the part of the foot the bird walks on; whole feet

be needed. The combination of cold and warm water,

also include the shank up to the tarsal joint.

plucking fingers and water sprays inside the peeling unit

n automated chicken feet solution from Marel adds considerable value to what in

by direct steam injection.

The Stork Feet Scalder XL works on a different

the past was often seen as a by-product

principle. It has a double hull through which hot water

and often thrown away – at cost – or given

circulates. This wall heats up the scald water in the tank;

for free to rendering plants.

a steam supply is therefore not needed. This solution is

According to Marel, the main market for chicken feet is

South East Asia, led by China. Depending on the market,

If a perfect anatomic tarsal cut is required for the Chinese market, an option is to start the process by making a pre-incision with the Anatomic Tarsal Joint

recommended for the highest processing capacities.

Scalded feet or paws then progress to the skinning

itself ensures the complete removal of skin and toenails, which are then washed away.

Once skinned, feet can be chilled. In addition to the

Pre-Cutter module, even before transfer in the TR-DE

auger chilling method in a tank equipped with blowers

NT. With such a perfect anatomic cut, no red bone

to agitate the water, Marel Poultry can also offer its

marrow is visible, thus achieving the perfect presentation

Paddle Chiller, whose rotating tubes make use of the

for consumers in China. At the same time, the quantity

displacement flow principle. The Stork Paddle Chiller has

of meat attached to the foot is maximized, adding

a much higher loading density and unloads product in a

substantial value to the end-product.

constant flow.

Products leave the pre-cutter hanging by their tendons

After chilling, feet have reached the end of the

which are still intact. Then the feet are separated from

processing line. Now they can be assessed for quality

the carcass by the TR-DE NT which has an integrated

prior to being packed as a profitable end product, ready

Feet Cutter. Its blade is adjustable and can be set to give

for sale in the marketplace.

any length of foot with a larger or smaller part of shank

From foot/paw cutting up to and including chilling,

attached, all depending on what the customer wants.

the Stork Feet Processing System runs fully automatically

Some markets demand that when a carcass is rejected

without the need for any manual input. As the system

at the veterinary inspection in the evisceration line,

adds considerable value to foot products and needs no

its feet be rejected too. For this situation, Marel offers

manual labor, return on investment is very quick.

its foot tracking system. This consists of sensors and

Duck feet are profitable products as well in Asia. Duck

the necessary software. When a carcass is rejected in

feet processing is very similar to broiler feet processing,

the evisceration department, the system registers the

with the exception of scalding. Feet are scalded together

shackle from which the carcass has been removed. This

with the duck itself, so there's no need for separate feet

information is then used to locate the corresponding feet

scalders. Furthermore, duck feet are never cut to paws.

and unload them automatically from the foot line shackle.

A paw cutter can be installed in the line just ahead of

36

September~October 2018

The Stork solution processes duck feet fully automatically up to and including peeling and chilling.

Meat Packing Journal

chicken

meatpacking.info

feet

fo cu s

September~October 2018

37

g row th

m a r k e t

poland

Blistering days and scorching nights – and that’s just the industry From nowhere to now one of the world’s poultry leaders, Poland’s chicken industry just keeps growing. But is Poland just a flash in the pan, ready to come crashing back to Earth, or is it the real deal, ready to join the big players of the world as a permanent member? In this two-part series, editor Velo Mitrovich reports from Poland

by velo mitrovich

and neighboring villages, three ravenous wolves have attacked people.

I

– heavy thunderstorms to be exact– but the cumulus

Sea, where you’re awaken at 5.30am by the

clouds that formed only offered a spectacular sunset.

sound of screeching sea gulls fighting over

Evening brought no respite from the heat and you noticed

garbage, it’s hot. A dense early morning fog will

the planet Mars was low in the night sky, looking redder

completely burn off by 7am, leaving an electric-

than normal as its path swings it near to Earth – it won’t be

blue sky that almost crackles in the heat. It all leaves

this close again for nearly 300-years. This only adds to the

you wondering if you could get away with wearing

torrid feeling of discomfort.

shorts to your first appointment of the day.

Weather has been crazy this year in Poland.

But something else has been heating up in Poland, something for the last 10 years, and that’s its poultry

Torrential rain hit the country in spring when fields were

industry, now rated as the number one producer in the

being sowed; there was a drought in May and June; in

European Union. How did this former Soviet satellite’s

early July came a storm so fierce that some are calling

industry grow this quickly, but more important, can the

it a hurricane; and now there’s a heatwave.

momentum last?

Wheat production has dropped by 16 percent,

38

There should have been rain yesterday afternoon

t’s hot in Poland. Even this close to the Baltic

Flying over Poland will confirm for you that this is

high temperatures mean chickens and other livestock

a country grounded in agriculture, with more than 60

are off their feed, and if you need one more sign

percent of land centered on agriculture and employing

that things are getting a bit crazy, in Drezdenko

around 12 percent of the country’s workforce.

September~October 2018

Meat Packing Journal

poland

g row th

m a r k e t

Poland’s farmers under the age of 40 make up as much as 20.3 percent of all agricultural workers, which places Poland second only to Austria when it comes to the percentage of young farmers. The struggle with generation change that agriculture in the rest of Europe and in much of North America is not happening in Poland.

Looking at its total economy, Poland has become Europe’s biggest economic success story since it transformed into a market economy in the early 1990s.

The EU’s 6th largest market by population, Poland has enjoyed 25 years of unbroken growth – driven by strong domestic demand, dynamic exports, improved productivity, foreign investment, a stable banking system, and the largest beneficiary of EU cohesion funds. These are funds aimed at Member States whose gross national income per inhabitant is less than 90 percent of the EU average. Poland is entitled to almost 84 billion euros under the 2014-2020 budget.

Even after this gets cut in 2021 by around 25 percent – thanks to the United Kingdom leaving the EU – the country will remain the largest beneficiary.

Politically stable, and member of the European Union and NATO, Poland is quickly catching up with the West. Its GDP per capita went up from 49% of the EU25 average in 2004 to 69% in 2016 and recently stands at $13,833.

Although this report will try to stay out of listing figures, it’s hard hiding Poland’s accomplishments. Its economy grew at a faster rate of 4.6 percent in 2017 compared to 2.7 percent in 2016. Although the World Bank is forecasting 4.2 percent growth this year, so far in the first quarter it grew by 5.2 percent and 5.1 percent in the second.

Poland’s economic fundamentals remain robust for the short-term, driven by strong domestic demand, dynamic exports, foreign investment and a significant inflow of EU funds. According to PwC (PricewwaterhouseCoopers), the economy has the potential to grow around 3 percent per annum until 2030 and 2.5 percent per annum until 2050.

Public debt is predicted to stay below the Polish constitutional ceiling of 60 percent and the deficit will not exceed 3 percent of GDP.

meatpacking.info

September~October 2018

39

g row th

m a r k e t

poland

However, worsening demographics, with an ageing society and shrinking labor force, will create policy challenges. The UK Foreign Service believes that in the short term, there will be a need to consolidate debt and spending without stifling economic growth.

Over the longer term, Poland’s economic performance could improve if the country addresses some of the remaining deficiencies in its road and rail infrastructure, business environment, rigid labor code, commercial court system, government red tape, and burdensome tax system. Poland is making progress in simplifying its tax system reducing the number of hours a company needs to meet its tax obligations from 420 hours to 260 at present.

The government aims to get Poland out of the middleincome trap and transform it into a high-tech, knowledgebased heavyweight economic player, by mobilizing domestic capital and creating innovative Polish national champions in sectors such as e-mobility, shipbuilding and automotive. It proposes a more hands-on role for

SWOT Analysis

the state, modeled on the German approach, to wean Poland off its dependency on foreign direct investment

Strength Improving infrastructure Healthy economy Centrally located in Europe Diversified economy Weakness Labor shortage with no sign of improvement Small farms dependent on EU subsidies Lagging behind other Central/Eastern European countries Low level of female employment

and cheap labor. Ambitiously, GDP per capita, currently at 69 percent of EU average should reach the EU average in 2030. Polish minimum wage is 2000 PLN gross monthly (around $542).

Land of farms

A

griculture has always played an important role in Polish economy, after all, the name Poland is derived from “polians” that means the dwellers on

the field. It’s often said that if you scratch any Pole, there is a farmer underneath.

Like in most of central and eastern Europe, Poland’s

Opportunities Producers need value-added technology Creation of vertically integrated ag companies Low-risk market Largest consumer market in newly joined EU countries

farms have traditionally been small, family-owned plots.

Threats Others – Ukraine – duplicate Poland’s poultry success Political instability – democracy not ingrained Foreign investors unsure of PiS party’s agenda Bureaucracy caused by old Soviet players

issue of ownership of agricultural land in Poland was and

After World War II, the communists began collectivizing Polish agriculture, as they did in other Soviet bloc countries. However, if they thought Polish farmers would go along with this idea; the communists thought wrong.

They would have had better luck training cats to pull farm plows.

As a result of historical and cultural conditions, the remains a sensitive topic. Land reforms dating back to the 19th century and continuing in to the 20th century abolished large state estates, resulting in atomized holdings is central and southern Poland, only in the north and the west more sizeable farms retained (areas formerly belonging to Germany).

By 1955, no more than 9.2 percent of Poland's arable land had been transferred to state-managed farms. After the 1956 Polish uprising, the Soviet government realized

40

September~October 2018

Meat Packing Journal

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Debunking Myths.

Uncovering the Facts.

Chicken Squad Intelligence sheds light on chicken farming practices in BC. Follow the investigation at

chickensquad.ca

poland

that to impose collectivization would involve something

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That said, according to Justyna Goral, who studies

little short of an armed invasion. Instead, it grudgingly

farmers’ income and the effectiveness of the EU’s

accepted private farmers, according to the CS Monitor.

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Polish farms need to

The huge peasant private sector made Poland

be at least 50ha (124 acres) in size to be profitable. What

unique among Soviet-bloc countries, but this juggling

is holding farmers back from expanding is that other

act between the farmers and the state did not work. Its

farmers keep every piece of field they own, because

agricultural industry was mired in the past and fell behind

they see it is as an investment which brings an income

as elsewhere throughout the world agriculture started to

from [EU] subsides every year, says Goral. “Under such

modernize and change.

circumstances, it is difficult for small farms to become

Elsewhere in the Soviet Union – where most agriculture was produced on collective farms – they decided to bring the farmers out of extreme poverty

medium-sized ones because no neighbor is willing to sell land.”

Indeed, for many, owning agricultural land is a form of

most were living in. The Soviets then subsidized both

a security, especially for small farmers who can benefit

selling and buying, paying farmers more for their product

from social exemptions due to being a farmer and

than what people paid for the food in shops. While this

receiving direct payments from CAP. This enables owners

and other Soviet production schemes proved to be

of small holdings to sustain modest living standards from

unsustainable in the long run – like having a fleet of

otherwise economically unviable farmland.

fishing vessels whose fuel costs were higher than the

After joining the EU, a 10-year moratorium was

value of the catch – it worked for a time and the famines

established in Poland to restrict foreigners from taking

caused by Stalin’s policies in the 1930s were not repeated

advantage of low prices and buying farmland. This has

(unlike what was happening in Mao’s China at the same

been renewed by the current governing party (Law &

time).

Justice –PiS) which made this part of campaign promises

However, as mentioned, Poland was a different story.

and has enshrined it now in the constitution.

While Soviet overseers were willing to bend, it was

As was typical in the rest of the former Soviet bloc,

always going to be on their terms. Officials required Polish

after the fall of the old regime, the country went through

farmers to sign contacts in advance as to how much

a very difficult time of transition, changing from state-

they were going to produce and sell to the state – all at

controlled and planned, to a free market. While few Poles

rates set by the state. There was zero incentive then to

today would wish for a return to the Soviet era with its

produce quality – only quantity to fill quotas – and the

rationing of everything from food to toilet paper to cars,

whole industry suffered. Food shortages began to occur

there was no unemployment.

and farmers took advantage of this, holding back product

With communist worker protection removed, factories

to sell privately at higher prices than the State would pay

closed, leading to high unemployment. The feeling of

them, according to Jarka Chloupkova in his paper on

euphoria that erupted when the last Soviet tank left,

Poland’s agriculture industry during transition.

quickly soured.

What MPJ has found is that an unfortunate legacy of

What didn’t help matters that instead of doing a

this time is the perception that some still have outside of

‘housecleaning’ and getting rid of former communist

Poland, that what the country produces is poor quality,

officials, they stayed in office and created a bureaucratic

while nothing could be further from the truth.

nightmare for those trying to start a business. Social

A traditional food exporter, Poland was forced from

media is full of Poles complaining about being bounced

1976 to 1981 to import 40 million tons of costly feed

from office to office, the huge amount of paperwork

grain, mainly from the United States, after a series of

required – which never seems to be filled out correctly –

poor harvests. In neighboring Hungary, which is smaller

and wasted days/weeks waiting for approval.

than Poland in both size and population, consistently

The great migration

outperformed Poland despite its having mostly collective farms.

Poland remained a nation of small, privately owned farms, well after the Soviet exit, and even to today.

The Polish 2017 Statistical Yearbook of Agriculture states there are now around 1.4 million small family farms, with the average around 5ha in size (12.25 acres). Poland’s

I

f you were in Poland when it joined the EU in 2004, it would have not been uncommon to have seen horse drawn wagons in rural farming areas. Once you got

out of cities, at night Poland was pitch black. You’d see no

Agricultural Market Agency (ARR), says that many of these

street lights, no farm lights, nothing; it felt like you were

small farms are struggling to remain afloat and there is a

going back in time.

move to consolidate these farms to at least 9ha (22 acres) in size.

meatpacking.info

Poverty wasn’t an illusion in Poland, and since joining the EU, over 2.2 million Poles have immigrated to the

September~October 2018

43

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poland

Quick facts Its formal name is Rzeczpospolita Polska – Republic of Poland. Its Independence Day is celebrated on 11 November.

Poland is the ninth largest country in Europe, 8th if Russia is not included. It’s larger than Italy or the UK, but smaller than the US state of New Mexico.

Its population is around 39 million.

Poland has the world’s biggest castle in a single area.

Its written constitution was the 2nd in the world – but was only valid for 14 months.

Poland’s two color-flag comes from its emblem, a white eagle on a red field.

Famous Poles include: Joseph Conrad, Marie Curie, Nicolaus Copernicus, Fryderyk Chopin, Pope John Paul II, and Lech Walesa.

rest of Europe, with the United Kingdom being the lead

apartment blocks. Has everyone else in these buildings

country of choice. Considering the fact that only around

gone to the West? MPJ asked Iwona Dyba, one of the

16 million out of Poland’s 38 million citizens are currently

reporters of Poland’s Farmer magazine, if this was correct.

working, 2.2 million is a huge number.

“Yes, most probably. In my school graduating class, I am

This view of Polish plumbers grabbing their tool boxes and bolting from Poland fit into the view many Europeans had of the Poles. Indeed, Germany and France placed

one of the few who stayed behind in Poland. Everyone else has left,” she says.

UK pork and poultry farmers and processors have told

restrictions on the number of Poles they were willing to

MPJ that without Polish workers, they would have had

accept during the first years of Poland’s EU membership

to either reduce production or even closed shop. Today,

to protect their own workers’ jobs.

Polish is the second most commonly spoken language in

The average age of those moving to the UK was 28,

the UK and there are Polish newspapers, radio stations,

with 70 percent of them graduates. While the number of

and stores. Even mainstream supermarket Tesco’s and

Poles entering the UK building and agriculture trades has

others have a Polish food section.

changed forever the makeup of workers in these sectors,

What will happen after Brexit is anyone’s guess. While

Polish doctors, nurses, engineers, accountants, and

MPJ has witnessed many single Polish men and women

bakers have also immigrated – all the very people Poland

working for a few years in the UK and them moving back;

needs today as it suffers through a significant, long-term

just as many Polish families have arrived as well, who

labor crisis.

see the move as permanent and have dual citizenship.

Although Poland has made huge leaps since 2004

For those without UK citizenship, the UK government

– thanks to the mentioned major EU support – now it’s

has said that they and other EU citizens who are already

Polish immigration which is causing lights to go out. In

established in the UK, can stay.

driving recently in Poland at night, MPJ passed through numerous villages with at times only a few lights on in

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September~October 2018

Immediately after the June 2016 election there were reported incidents of Poles being attacked by British

Meat Packing Journal

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confidence and risk index Business climate Trade deals Political system Coruption International support Agricultural resources Poverty Education system GDP growth Infrastructure Infrastructure development International logistics Government transparency Budget deficit thugs, this seemed to have disappeared just as quickly as

Starting a business

it started.

Like rabbits

P

Enforcing contracts Paying taxes

oland’s government has recently amended its labor law to cut down on legal red tape with

Legal rights

regards to the employment of overseas workers

from outside the EU. Citizens of six former Soviet Union

Construction permits

territories will be issued with work permits of up to a year, where previously they could only apply for a six-month

Buying property

permit. Thanks to recent deals, citizens of Vietnam and the Philippines will not need work permits at all.

One of the drawing points with the Philippines is that it, like Poland, is a Catholic country. Poland believes that

Source: Reby Research, Coface, World Bank

immigrants with a similar religious culture will be a better fit into Poland’s conservative society. This is one of the reasons why Poland has opposed the introduction of compulsory quotas of migrants across the EU who come from Muslim countries.

For the last decade, Poland has been using workers from the Ukraine to fill positions, but with the ongoing

meatpacking.info

September~October 2018

45

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poland

crisis in Ukraine with Russia, more countries are willing to accept Ukrainians. While Poland still receives the lion’s share of Ukrainian workers, other countries such

alcohol message.

Viewers are told: “If you ever want to be a parent, follow the example of rabbits.”

as Italy, the Czech Republic and Russia have become a

Poultry is king

destination country. Because Ukrainians now have more options, they’re not willing to accept the same low pay that they used to.

According to Adam Glapinski, governor of the National Bank of Poland, Poland is facing a deficit of workers from its eastern, non-EU neighbors.

“What are we concerned about? For example, in terms of the labor market, will we find enough workers in Ukraine and Belarus to compensate for a labor deficit in Poland?” he told Dziennik Gazeta Prawna in an interview.

In a survey of 300 Polish companies conducted this January by Work Service, almost half of all Polish

T

here is no face or name, there will never be a statue built to the founder, but you can put a date on it: 1 May 2004. This is the day Poland joined the

EU and began its journey to become Europe’s leader in poultry production.

While every Polish producer asked tells MPJ the government did nothing to help them, it did do one very fundamental thing. It didn’t get in their way.

A number of factors have been responsible for this

employers sought Ukrainians because no local hires were

success. The Polish poultry industry has taken full

available.

advantage of its geographical position and the access

According to Tomasz Wieladek from Barclay’s research

to major European markets given by its EU membership.

department in London, the low-paid Ukrainians and

To build confidence in the quality of Polish poultry

Belarusians have significantly supported growth and

products both at home and abroad the Polish National

lower wage and CPI inflation in Poland.

Poultry Council introduced QAFP, a country-wide quality

Now, however, with younger Poles still leaving, fewer

assurance program. To improve their competitiveness still

Ukrainians coming, and Poland’s aging workers entering

further, Polish poultry processors have invested heavily

retirement age – the government has recently lowered

in new processing plants and new technology from

the retirement age as an election ploy – average wages in

companies such as Meyn, Marel, and Baadar.

Poland have gone up 4.3 percent between January 2016

Poland’s poultry/chicken statistics are complicated

and 2017, with the jobless rate having fallen to record

at best. Its pure poultry stats include broiler chickens,

lows. This lack of workers will be the greatest challenge

which make up slightly more than 80 percent, followed

for further economic growth in all sectors, including meat

by turkey and duck. Government agencies, private

and poultry.

companies, and poultry councils have all taken their own

Poland’s Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers says

spin on the statistics, some showing chicken then being

five million more workers are needed to sustain growth

smaller then of the total poultry, others using the total

over the next three decades and Ukrainians alone will not

poultry statistics as just chicken alone. The end result is

be enough to plug the gap.

that you find yourself suspect of all, including the EU’s

Taking a very long term view, the Polish government proposed new measures this year to encourage people

Eurostats which should be the final word.

However, the differences between the stats isn’t great

to have children. The new package of proposals, called

and they all point to exactly the same thing: Poland’s

“Mamma Plus”, continues the governing PiS party’s

chicken industry is booming, with even ‘slow’ year growth

emphasis on supporting families, according to Polish

better than most countries fast growth. Since joining the

news source The First News.

EU, each year Poland has set a new record for production.

A mother with four children or more will even receive a minimum retirement pension. Other bonuses will be paid to mothers who have an additional child within 24 months of their last.

The Polish government has produced a YouTube video

It will take a major disaster for this yearly upward trend to change any time soon.

Włodzimierz Bartkowski, president of the Nationwide Association of Poultry Producers (OZPD) Poldrób and deputy president of the management board of Cedrob,

which is encouraging citizens to go forth and multiply

tells Newseria Biznes “The Polish poultry industry is now

– like rabbits, according to The Guardian. The YouTube

thriving. It is important to note that this sector has been

video shows rabbits munching on lettuce and carrots

developing very well and recording continuous increases

while a rabbit “narrator” reveals the secret of their big

in production. This means that plants are developing,

families — exercise, a healthy diet and little stress.

upgrading and successfully delivering their products

The brief appearance of a human couple enjoying a romantic picnic hints that a little romance might help, and a wine glass turned upside down suggested an anti-

46

September~October 2018

which are sold both domestically and internationally.

Poland is now a European leader in chicken production.”

Total production in 2017 was assessed at a record-

Meat Packing Journal

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Survival tips Meetings on time Don’t be late. Poles tend to arrive in meetings having done their homework and expect their counterpart to have done the same. There can be too much pre-planning, with very rigid agendas.

Swear jar While most people in Poland are known to say more than ‘fudge’ if they hit their thumb with a hammer, the police have a right to fine you if you swear ID please Producers need value-added technology When you are going out somewhere, no matter what time it is, you need to carry a photo ID card or document.

Buy tickets online While everything might look ultramodern in Warsaw’s main train station – it’s not. While recently there, no ticket machines were working and the one ticket seller used onefinger typing –slowly. If you can, buy your train tickets online.

English not spoken While in the business world of Poland, many speak some level of English, if on the street, you can be hard pressed to find someone who can speak English when outside of Warsaw.

Cheap grub Food prices average about 50% lower than

the UK or France, although there are some surprises. Meat is one of the lowest in all of Europe; cheese can be the opposite.

Don’t call it ‘Eastern’ If you want to get a Polish person really worked up, refer to their country as being in Eastern Europe. They see it as a Central European country along with Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

Conservative society Religion is not separated from the State and the country has a popular Catholic TV and radio station. It also has the tallest statue of Jesus in the world. People say the once very tolerant society is anything but these days.

Year around travel While you might get snow in the winter, there is a chance you won’t except in the southern mountains. The best time to travel is spring and autumn. Summers are hotter than you expect, but not bad.

Kissing hands Polish men generally still tend to observe the ‘chivalry protocol’. Don’t be surprised to see a man kissing a woman’s hand upon first introduction.

Sigh of relief Unlike the other Growth Market countries we’ve examined, you don’t need shots to go to Poland, the water is safe to drink, and it is even safe to rent and drive a car.

breaking 3.1 million metric tons (MT). The consumption of

lifting a 2016 ban on the export of Polish chicken to China.

poultry is also growing to more than 30 kg per person a

The deal applies to eight Polish plants.

year in Poland.

“As much as 45 percent of poultry production is

The export of Polish poultry to China was banned in December 2016, due to the epidemic of avian flu.

being exported [80% to EU; 20% elsewhere]. In 2017, we

Although Poland was acknowledged as a country free of

exported nearly 1.2 MT with a value of PLN 8.3 billion

this disease in 2017, the reopening of the Chinese market

($2.25 B). Polish poultry is exported mainly to European

required months of efforts.

markets. In order to keep it on a relatively high level, Polish producers have to seek customers outside Europe,” says Bartkowski.

As part of this, Poland and China have signed a deal

meatpacking.info

Poland and Vietnam have also agreed to expand trade and investment cooperation.

Look for more on Poland’s poultry industry in November’s MPJ

September~October 2018

47

Opp o r t u n i t y

rendering

rendering: pet food and beyond Last year MPJ talked about one of the fastest growing markets in the world, a market that is dependent on renderers and the products they produce. We stand by all what we said last year and we repeat it for this year: if you’re not in pet food, then shut off the lights and lock the door cause you’re missing out in a great opportunity. MPJ reports by velo mitrovich

T

companies and are more willing to buy from smaller – but more expensive – pet food companies which are more transparent. This same example can be seen in the craft beer industry – now worth billions – and the meat snack industry.

An advantage, too, in going after the Millennial market is that this group is much more likely to buy products online. This eliminates the need to try to break into supermarkets already crowded pet food shelf.

MPJ recommends highly that you talk to a rendering/ feed equipment manufacturer to see how you can enter into the industry.

Just how big

here are very few things you can count on in life except the ubiquitous death, taxes and the hated/loved New England Patriots being in the Super Bowl. But, you can easily add two items to this short list as well: poultry

T

he Global Pet Food Market was estimated at a value of about USD 78.76 billion in 2017. The industry is forecasted to register a CAGR of

production and pet food. Whoever is drawing the graphs

5.03%, during the forecast period, according to Mordor

for these two must be bored to tears because all they

Intelligence.

have to draw is a straight, upward moving line.

Processing companies that incorporate rendering

Oh, did MPJ just say $78.76 billion? Because, if we did that’s one of the more conservative estimates. Business

equipment into their production line or stand-alone

Wire has the growth this year around $94 billion. Grand

rendering companies which are well suited in an area of

View Research is estimating that by 2022, it will be just shy

multiple processors are positioned to take advantage of

of $100 billion, with the total pet care market, including

this growth as either a feed manufacturer or an ingredient

insurance, dog walkers, toys, etc, worth $202.6 billion

supplier.

by 2025. According to Statista, global baby food during

On the surface, it seems impossible for anyone new to get into the pet food industry. Just Mars and Nestlé’s

the same period will be around $76 billion. You can see where the world’s heart lies.

alone dominate nearly half of the global pet food market.

In the West and in much of developed Asia, family

That said, Millennials are one of the driving forces behind

sizes are smaller, plus there are more and more one-

the quality pet food market, due in part to so many

person households. For the elderly, there is a greater

deferring childrearing.

chance their grown children live elsewhere and they are

According to the WSJ, as people seek to connect with their pets, revenue from treats has risen. High-price pet foods labeled all-natural and grain-free –and ones that

living alone. There are just some of the factors why pets are becoming more and more valued in today’s homes.

A recent article in ZY starts: “When 54-year-old

incorporate ingredients such as blueberries and sweet

factory worker Chen Dongtao moved back to his

potatoes – are also growing faster than more mainstream

wife’s hometown in northeastern China’s Heilongjiang

kibble because people think they are healthier. Indeed,

province a decade ago, he struggled to make friends. His

dried bagged dog food – which still has 60 percent of the

colleagues were all younger than he was. Last year, his

market – shows one of the slowest growths as compared

wife retired and started spending months at a time with

to wet or pet snacks.

their son in Beijing. Chen now dines alone, plays games

Millennials tend to be suspicious of big pet food

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September~October 2018

on the smartphone his son bought for him and spends

Meat Packing Journal

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o pp o r t u n i t y

more than he should on his dog, whom he bought to

The mid-price range was $6 billion, and the low-end

combat his loneliness… China is now emerging as the new

economy brands brought in $2.25 billion. During the

capital of Asia’s loneliness economy, a position long held

period from 2012 to 2017, top-end pet foods grew at an

by Japan.”

annual growth rate of 4.5 percent; there was no growth in

No surprise, the Chinese pet food market reached $1.5 billion in sales last year, with a 27 percent compound annual growth rate.

the mid-priced pet food market; and a loss of 3 percent in economy brands.

People are willing to pay for the creature they love.

Throughout the world, as the need for the social

The quality issue

interaction of pets increases, so too is what we are willing to pay. According to a December 2017 Harris Poll conducted for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, 54 percent of Americans have a pet in their home with is impacting their finances. On average, these owners spend $130 per month on their pet’s expenses.

For pet food, this translates to some big figures.

A

ccording to Euromonitor, North American pet food volumes fell 0.8 percent last year, but revenue went up by 4 percent. The Wall Street Journal

says that this is because the industry is moving over to

According to Euromonitor International, in the States the

pet foods that appeal to human. Several years ago Mars

premium pet food market in 2017 was worth $16 billion.

Petcare, the world’s largest pet food manufacture, found

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September~October 2018

49

Opp o r t u n i t y

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in a survey that pet owners feel bad about feeding their

percent of launches. Many products carry multiple health

pets the same food every day and were more likely to buy

claims.

pet food that reminded them of their own meals.

Big aquarium, big profits

Armed with this information, Mars came out with its Cesar Home Delights line across the USA in 2015. Twoyears later the line is seeing $100 million in sales.

“The focus is to deliver dishes that literally look and smell like human food, but are nutritionally balanced to be right for a pet,” Chris Mondzelewski, North America head of specialty pet care for Mars, told WSJ. Not only is Cesar producing pet meals such as the aforementioned beef stroganoff, it is also coming out with limited editions such as BBQ chicken flavor with orzo &

T

he global fish industry hit a record high of $150 billion last year, with over half of this value coming from aquaculture. This includes farmed salmon,

shrimp, tilapia, seabass, sea bream, catfish, basa/ Pangasius/tra (Vietnamese catfish varieties), oysters, mussels, and other species as well.

Salmon producers have generated total shareholder

green beans in sauce, along with grilled cheeseburger

returns – the combination of share price gains and

flavor with diced potatoes.

dividend yield for a company’s stock – of 45 to 60 percent

In a US study conducted by Open Farm Pet Foods –

since 2012, according to the Boston Consulting Group.

whose findings would be similar if a like-study was done

The FAO says that global aquaculture production is

in Europe, Japan, or Australia/New Zealand – 94 percent

anticipated to exceed the 100 million metric ton mark

of American pet owners indicated that their pet’s nutrition

for the first time in 2025 and to reach 102 million MT the

is just as important as their family’s nutrition, while almost

following year.

half said that they would be eating healthier meals if they ate their pet’s food.

Nearly 85 percent of pet owners agreed that they

In the species which were listed, outside of mussels and oysters, the one thing they all have in common is the need for feed with a high protein content. However, the

pay as much attention to the ingredients that go into

aquaculture feed industry, worth an estimated $172.56

their pet’s food and the ingredients their family eats; 89

billion by 2022, is subjected to wild swings due to the

percent agreed that it’s important that the ingredients in

main protein source used – fishmeal. During the early

their pet’s food are ethically sourced; and nine out of 10

2000s, fishmeal was never expected to go over $1,000 a

Americans believe it’s important that the pet food they

ton but once this number was passed, there has been no

purchase provides transparency of ingredients.

looking back.

With the majority of the world’s fishmeal coming from

Looking beyond 2018

anchovies caught off the coast of Peru, an El Nino year hits this fishery hard. In addition, some years China has tried to corner the market – fishmeal is also used as a

A

ccording to Innova Market Insights the trends in

main ingredient in chicken and pig feed – and has bought

the pet food industry are: clean label, healthy, and

the majority of the world’s fishmeal stocks, which in turn

premium.

drives up prices.

“When Americans feed their pets, only the best will

Add to this, environmental groups have been in arms

do. US companion animals dine on some of the best

for years over the idea of catching fish to feed to fish. This

prepared pet foods on the market, and the US pet-food

isn’t just Green mumbo-jumbo, you have to be in the

market is also one of the most active in the world,” says

industry to realize the impact this has had on some world

Innova.

fish stocks.

Differences between human foods and pet foods are

But, one of the greatest challenges in aquaculture

shrinking rapidly. Pet foods are now being formulated to

– especially in relation to fish nutrition – is finding a

address concerns near and dear to humans, including

desirable replacement for fishmeal. Researchers from all

organic and non-GMO ingredients, “free from” options,

over the world have been conducting research for years

and low-carb recipes. As in the human-food industry,

to find replacement for fishmeal, looking at both animal

interest in clean labeling continues to grow in pet food.

and plant sources. These have included pea meal, date

In the United States, nearly 53 percent of launches used

pits, sea worms, and cottonseed meal/oil. However,

natural and/or “no additives/preservatives” claims, driving

there are certain disadvantages which are associated with

forward interest in natural and organic formulations.

the replacements from plant sources ranging from low

More than 80 percent of recent global pet-food

nutritious value to lack of essential amino acids. Some of

launches recorded by Innova Market Insights were

the more successful have been meal made from chicken

marketed on a health platform of some kind. In the United

offal and from chicken feathers. Considering the world

States, health claims are even more prolific, on up to 90

poultry industry processed 50 billion birds last year, this is

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September~October 2018

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something the industry has in spades.

In an evaluation of 100% fishmeal substitution with

o pp o r t u n i t y

that contain disulfide bounds that, without processing, are unavailable for fish and other animals. Steamed with

chicken concentrate, a protein poultry by-product

pressure can break the disulfide bonds and the protein

blend, and chicken and egg concentrate in the growing

and amino acids then become available.

of rainbow trout, it was found by lead research author

A fine balance between sufficient hydrolysis and over-

Wendy Sealey that all the poultry-based diets supported

processing makes feather meal more or less digestible

growth, nutrient retention, and feed conversion ratios

– you have to look at all steps in the process including

equal to or greater than a fishmeal based diet.

the fact that feathers from different breeds can have significant differences in digestible protein.

Feather meal

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ainly used in salmonid feeds in North and South America, feather meal has been used for many years now and at increasing levels in

recent years. Unfortunately, in other countries, feeds are routinely formulated to contain below 7 percent of feather

Chicken viscera

W

hile for a number of years salmon feed producers have been experimenting with different proteins to reduce fishmeal, for

Pangasius (Asian catfish) it has been more challenging.

meal and in some countries, the use of feather meal is

However, in research carried out by M. G. Imam of

even excluded. The hesitance to use feather meal is due

Nigeria’s Bau Chi State University, it was found that

to the believe that feather meal is poorly digestible and its

chicken viscera – heart, lungs, and stomach – contained

smell could influence the feed intake when administered

over 80 percent protein of excellent quality, beating out

at high levels. Fish can be picky eaters and fish farmers

fishmeal.

want their livestock eating as much as possible to shorten the growth period.

The composition and freshness of the raw materials,

A chief and readily available source of high quality animal protein is chicken viscera which are considered as a waste in the poultry industry. In poultry processing

as well as the cooking and drying conditions, can have

industry, viscera accounts for nearly 30% of the

significant effects on the nutritional quality of feather

byproducts.

meal, mainly on the digestibility of protein and amino

Chicken viscera has given excellent results, says Iman.

acids. A strict control on the raw materials, consisting of

“My current research focuses on proximate analysis of

chicken and partly turkey feathers, is thus required.

chicken viscera as a potential replacement for fish meal

Although crude feather meal contains a high

in Pangasius culture. It is hoped that the ending results

percentage of protein, it mainly exists of keratin which

will reveal more clues that will justify chicken viscera as a

fish cannot digest. Raw feathers contain mainly keratins

potential replacement for fish meal.”

meatpacking.info

September~October 2018

51

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Fat Screw Press

Disc Dryer

rendering

o pp o r t u n i t y

Game changer for rendering Of all the new products that MPJ saw at this year’s VIV Europe, this new solution for rendering seems the most promising.

MPJ reports

O

One of – if not the greatest – challenges that renderers face is the smell of their operation, be it real or perceived. Due to this, it is extremely difficult to obtain planning permission to build a new plant

pretty much anywhere in the developed world, except in extreme rural areas.

Thanks to the recent court case in North Carolina

Finished meal | celitron

which ruled against the pork producers and the odors they produced, this will become even more of an issue if the smell of an operation can be seen as impacting the lives of anyone who lives near the plant – no matter how rural of an area your plant is in, or who was there first.

The unfortunate bottom-line of this decision is, due

hospitals around the world.”

In looking at cases around the world such as the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) in which thousands of cows were killed in the

to the amount of money awarded (under appeal but

UK and then burned in massive open pits, Marom says

expected to go through) to the plaintiffs, hungry lawyers

the company started to wonder if the same applications

will be searching for similar cases.

applied to hospital waste could be applied to the

So, what to do?

As a farmer or meat processor, you are faced with

agricultural industry?

Some of the issues that the hospitals faced with their

destroying dead animals, contaminated animals – such

waste were the costs of having someone else dispose of

as cows with BSE – and animal by-products such as

the waste, but if they did it internally, how could they do it

blood, feather, and bones which constitute a source of

in a manner which produced no pungent odor for unlike a

hazardous waste.

farm or processor, almost all hospitals are city-based.

What if there was, however, a way of processing these wastes in a manner which not only would eliminate the wastes, but also give you a profit?

Celitron’s ISS AGRI Facility might be the answer.

According to Dr Zvi Marom of Celitron, why no one else in the meat industry has not attacked the problem in the same way as Celitron is because the company approached the problem from a different angle. Celitron,

“What we had to solve were these issues which are specific to processing,” says Marom. These included: u High contamination risk from stored waste at slaughterhouses u High contamination risk from transported waste to rendering facilities u Rendering plants are a major odor and environmental threat

based in Hungary, has a focus on bio waste treatment

u Low value generated from blood and feathers

and sterilization systems.

u Low value generated from ruminant waste

“What we developed was a Class B sterilization system for destroying hospital/pharmaceutical waste so cleanly,

u High transportation costs “The ISS AGRI Facility has been developed to recycle

that it could then go into rubbish or recycling, Marom tells

by-produces of the agricultural and food industries

MPJ. “We now have more than 400 systems installed in

on site. The system is designed to treat all agricultural

meatpacking.info

September~October 2018

53

Opp o r t u n i t y

rendering

by-products, such as blood, fat, feathers, losses, animal

precludes the possibility of any cross-contamination in

carcasses, including poultry, fish, cow, pigs, and sheep,”

the rendering process.

The feeding of by-products and the discharge of

he says.

Needing only one person to run, this is a continuous

end-products are performed automatically. The materials,

and automated processing, including sterilization and

solid ¬– meat meal, bone meal, blood meal, feathers

shredding in the ISS, separating solids, oil, and water.

meal – water and oil are collected in separate containers

The end products of the system are dried meals and fat

for easy access and discharge.

that are used as ingredients for the animal and pet feed

After the treatment in the ISS, the processed animal by-products are rendered non-infectious, non-hazardous,

industry.

“You get four different valued by-products from the system,” says Marom. “In descending order of value,

and are sterile from bacteria, viruses and prions.

From the ISS, the treated animal by-products are

they are: pharmaceuticals, pet food, animal feed, and

automatically transferred to the decanter, which is a rapid

fertilizers.”

centrifugal vessel, performing solid-liquid-oil separation.

The rendering system contains three main units of

After the separation, materials are transported

equipment, the Integrated Sterilizer and Shredder (ISS),

automatically to the dryer equipment, which release the

Decanter, and Dryer, plus some other sub-systems for the

moisture content of solid material.

complete animal by-product rendering process.

The Integrated Sterilizer and Shredder gives full medical sterilization cycle (SAL 6log10) with steam at low temperature (121 °C) to keep the ABP protein content

The full process from the feeding till the unloading is completed in less than one hour, with units capable of processing from five to 100 tons a day.

In order to prevent air pollution, the ISS chamber

of the load, securing the quality of the end-product,

designed as a closed system, that odors cannot come

and while neutralizes bacteria and viruses, it shreds the

out. In each discharge point in the complex system an

loaded material into pieces within a pressure vessel.

odor filter is in use.

In the animal by-product process, shredding and

Each of the devices within the system has its own

sterilization within one closed vessel is essential, as it

control system and in addition there is one central

provides a safe working environment for the operator and

system, that controls all system component for safe and

for the technician during maintenance procedures. It also

reliable operation.

54

September~October 2018

Meat Packing Journal

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Opp o r t u n i t y

rendering

Pet food challenges You can make the most nutritious pet food on the planet, but it won’t matter if you don’t please the pet or, more importantly, the one who holds the wallet.

MPJ reports

O

nce upon a time, a long, long time ago,

factors in this are freshness – shelf life – and an effective palatant.

“If a pet will not eat its food, that’s the end of the story.

It doesn’t matter if the nutrition is balanced, the price is right, or the packaging and marketing claims are attractive enough to secure a first purchase,” says Kemin Industries, a world leader in pet food ingredients and formulation.

“If a cat or dog rejects its food or does not show signs

there were these places called ‘record

of satisfaction before or while eating it, pet owners will

stores’ where people would go, they’d

not repurchase. As a result, the pet food industry is

browse, and buy music. Young teenage

challenged to create innovated solutions to address pet-

boys seem to fall for this scam the most,

specific preferences.”

they’d buy whatever record had the wildest cover, who

Shelf life

cared what the music sounded like on the vinyl. But by the time they hit 16, they had wised up. Content was the most important thing; not packaging.

Pet food customers seem to fall into the same trap, buying for their pet which ever bag promises to be 100% natural, with no added soy, wheat, or rice, and whatever else the customer’s own diet of the month dictates.

But if Buddy or Kitty doesn’t eat it, they won’t be buying it again, even if it is a high-quality product.

For repeat sales, one of the biggest challenges you will

I

f when a bag of pet food is opened and a whiff of rancid is smelled, both the owner and the pet will probably reject the product.

“What is amazing with the pet food industry is that we

use a lot of by-products from the human food industry, as well as food grade material,” says Dr Sara Cutler, technical service manager for Kemin Industries. “How fresh these

face as a pet food manufacturer is getting the pet to eat

ingredients are really makes a difference in the shelf life of

your food with some enthusiasm.

the diet [feed].”

Dogs, especially the larger breeds, aren’t too picky. Put

According to Cutler, fat goes on the outside of the

another dog nearby during feeding time and you could

kibble so it is important not to have an off-odor. “Along

be feeding the dog corncobs or rocks and it will still wolf

with carbohydrates, such as rice, wheat, corn, and soy,

them down. Cats and smaller dog breeds, however, are

there are a variety of materials such as proteins – which

completely different and need to be lured in. The two key

is our emphasis at Kemin – that the freshness and quality

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rendering

o pp o r t u n i t y

of can really impact on how well it tastes and whether the pet will accept it.”

Cutler warns that by changing the ingredients to match the latest in human eating trends, such as creating gluten-free feed, the shelf life of the product can be impacted.

“A lot of times these decisions are made for the packaging and to appeal to the customer, not with product stability in mind.”

Kemin says it has pioneered the evolution of stabilization and freshness protection of pet food diets and rendered ingredients and is the top pet food antioxidant supplier and ingredient manufacturer. Kemin also offers an extensive range of synthetic antioxidant formulations that provide maximum protection from oxidation.

David Raveyre, president of Kemin Nutrisurance, says: "Our commitment to pet food safety is reflected with our products for antioxidant preservation and microbial degradation. Our goal is to provide renderers and pet food manufacturers a range of effective natural and synthetic

ALLINSUR helps to maintain quality of raw materials

solutions that preserve the safety, quality and freshness of pet food ingredients, pet food and pet treats."

The Allinsur M product expansion complements the existing food safety platform of products such as: Allinsur FS, which is a blend of antioxidants and microbial

“I wouldn’t say puke is a good sign,” Rawson says. “But it can mean dogs really like the food.”

According to Kemin, it’s important to differentiate

preservatives that maintain the quality of raw materials

between a “digest” and a “palatant”. A digest is a

prior to rendering; Allinsur A, which controls autoxidative

hydrolyzed meat product commonly made from an

deterioration of fats, preserves fat freshness and manages

enzymatic reaction with poultry livers. Using basic

microbial risks in animal fats; and Previon, a natural, mold

enzymatic techniques, digests can be considered the

inhibition solution for use in pet treats.

ancestor of palatants.

Palatants are often initially processed like a digest,

Importance of palatants

but other ingredients are incorporated to facilitate a transformation called the Maillard Reaction. This reaction,

W

named after French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard,

ithout the addition of palatants to kibble,

consists of a cascade of reactions that give rise to a

feed would be largely tasteless. Made

complex array of volatile compounds, which possess

from various grains, proteins, fat, and other

robust savory aroma characteristic of palatants.

ingredients to either bind or fill-out the kibble, dogs might

The Maillard reaction is responsible for flavor and

eat it but cats would pack their bags and move in with the

color development during the cooking of a variety of

neighbors.

foods, such as roast beef, toasted marshmallows, baked

“[Food companies] want to bring the pet to the

breads, etc. It’s theorized that domestic pets, especially

bowl,” says Dr Nancy Rawson, associated director of the

dogs, engaged their olfactory senses to seek Maillard

Monell Chemical Senses Center in the USA. “Dog food

derived aromas since they joined early humans around

companies are good at formulation, but look elsewhere

the campfire.

for their flavor systems.”

A large part of the work of places pet food companies

To make effective palatants, understanding the chemistry of Maillard technology is vital, as is the ability

consult with – one, AFB International, was where Rawson

to translate this knowledge into new formulations. This

worked from 2010 to 2016 – is focused on developing

in turn allows pet food to have desirable reaction flavor

coatings that will make pets enthusiastic. For cats, the

profiles that are more appealing to dogs and cats.

results of a hit recipe might mean whining and weaving

And indeed, if done correctly, vegetarian palatants

in between their owner's feet until dinner is served. For

can be created that mimic the real thing, allowing

dogs, it might entail getting so excited that they eat too

for vegetarian pet foods that dogs and cats will eat,

quickly and bring the food right back up.

according to Kemin.

meatpacking.info

September~October 2018

57

Opp o r t u n i t y

rendering

Sludge dewatering solves environmental and disposal issues For renderers and processors, one of more difficult parts of the job is the cleaning of waste water. MPJ reports

include: u Food processing waste, including rendering and poultry, raw wastewater (primary screening) and sludge u Abattoir, feedlots, and dairy farm wastewater and sludge. Cattle manure cake dryness of 25-35 percent is

A

typically achieved

rendering, poultry processing, and major food preparation

installations for the rendering and poultry industry include:

operations.

the removal of solids from waste streams, screening and

compact and cost-efficient alternative to conventional dewatering technologies is being introduced to Australia and New Zealand to eliminate costs and occupational health & safety hazards

u Pig farm raw manure and sludge, with cake dryness of 20-30 percent. u Sewage treatment, including raw wastewater (primary screening) and sludge to landfill Michael Bambridge, CST Wastewater Solutions

associated with damper and heavier output from

managing director, says benefits of importance to

The KDS Multidisc Separator system from CST Wastewater Solutions – which requires no wash water, while capturing 90-99 percent of solids – is engineered to

dewatering of solids from waste water, and dewatering of chemical sludge from DAF floats.

The largest energy saving KDS unit can handle

overcome the limitations of technologies such as screw

about 100kg DS (dry solids) an hour at 98 per cent

presses, belt presses, and centrifuges currently used,

solids capture, to produce this more hygienic and more

claims KDS.

compact output that is easier and cheaper to handle and

Applications for which the separator is designed

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September~October 2018

transport, he says.

Meat Packing Journal

rendering

o pp o r t u n i t y

Used for dewatering of dissolved air flotation sludge – a very common application throughout waste water operations – The KDS achieves solids capture of 97 per cent thickened sludge at a dryness of 17 per cent. Waste activated sludge dryness levels are typically 15-18 per cent dryness.

The Japanese-manufactured technology uses minimal energy, consuming as little as 0.06kW hr of electricity. It occupies typically half the space or less of conventional dewatering plants, and is available as fixed compact units or skid-mounted types that can be carried on truck or trailer.

“With the KDS’ minimal water, power and space demands, it is ideally suited to both smaller-to-medium business and also to those operating in remote or

system features an oval plate separation and transfer

environmentally sensitive situations,” says Bambridge.

structure that prevents clogging and permits automatic

The clog-free automatic liquid-to-solid waste separator dewaters solids and conditioned sludge on a self-cleaning wedgewire belt. This static belt is cleaned by a set of rotating oval shape plates.

After the drainage and thickening zone, the thickened

continuous operation that handles oily and fibrous material with ease.

“This simple-to-maintain separator offers a high throughput within a small body, with the smallest model being just under 350mm wide and weighing 50 kg. The

sludge passes a dewatering zone which consists of an

compact rotational oval plate structure achieves high

adjustable plate, actuated manually or by pneumatic

transportation and separation efficiencies, achieving cost

cylinder to further squeeze the solids.

and OH&S benefits through less handling being required

The KDS’ self-cleaning dewatering and conveying

meatpacking.info

to clear hazardous materials,” says Bambridge.

September~October 2018

59

MEET US!

NRA 85TH ANNUAL CONVENTION

OCTOBER 22-26, 2018, DANA POINT, CA, USA

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stunning

te c h n o lo gy

Water bath or CAS not an easy choice A CO2 shortage through parts of Europe this last summer has drawn new attention onto the use of the gas for slaughtering animals. For poultry, is it cruel or the best choice? MPJ investigates the two leading methods of stunning chicken

in on any one step of the slaughtering process, this is it – even when done 100 percent correctly, it doesn’t look like it.

According to Charlotte Berg and Mohan Raj in their paper published by PubMed Central at the US National Institute of Health: A Review of Different Stunning Methods for Poultry—Animal Welfare Aspects (Stunning Methods for Poultry), there are bird welfare issues not directly

by velo mitrovich

T

related to the electrical parameters. But, instead, to the design of the water bath stunner itself and the process of handling the birds before they are stunned. Birds

he stunning of poultry prior to slaughter is

have pain receptors in their legs and, hanging live and

practiced throughout the world by almost all

conscious birds upside-down by their legs in a metal

commercial processors, with the exception

shackle which is a pre-requisite for water bath stunning, is

being kosher. (With halal, it depends on

often mentioned as one of the major welfare problems in

the certificate board with some allowing

relation to water bath stunning.

stunning as long as the stun isn’t permanent – the chicken can recover if it’s not immediately slaughtered).

Which ever type of stunning method is used, the

Distress and pain during shackling prior to stunning can be affected by shackle design, time from shackling to stunning, and the design of the entrance to the water-

reasons behind it are the same – a chicken is a living

bath, where poor design can lead to painful pre-stun

animal and neck cutting causes pain and suffering, which

electric shocks. It is known that, under the multiple bird

can be avoided by pre-slaughter stunning.

water bath stunning system, all the birds passing through

While this seems very straight forward, what gets

the electrified water bath will be exposed to a constant

thrown into the mix are the factors: consumers demand

voltage, and the electrical flow through each bird will be

– that their chicken is inexpensive and thus, due to the

dependent on impedance in the pathway of each bird.

massive quantities of poultry being slaughtered, the method needs to be highly effective.

Electrical water bath stunning is the most commonly

This means that if a flock, for example, is of uneven size and weight, different birds will receive different amounts of current, and some birds may not receive

used method for poultry stunning prior to slaughter, but

enough to induce generalized epilepsy in the brain and

has been questioned on animal welfare and product

some others may receive more current than necessary to

quality grounds. Controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS)

induce epileptiform activity, hence causing carcass and

methods, involving a variety of gas mixtures, have

meat quality defects.

become increasingly common, at least in Europe. CAS

Owing to this, multiple bird water baths are not

methods have been perceived as an improvement

conducive to achieving effective stunning or acceptable

from an animal welfare perspective, partly because

meat quality in all the birds.

birds can be stunned without prior shackling, and are

The problems associated with electrical water

generally considered to result in improved product quality

bath stunning are further confounded by the fact that

compared to water bath stunning.

a plethora of current levels (Amp), waveforms (sine wave AC or pulsed DC), and frequencies (Hz) are used

Water bath stunning

commercially. The relationship between these different variables is complex, which is reflected by the fact that

T

legislation often requires a minimum current level that is

he most common method used is water bath

directly linked to the frequency applied, as it has been

electric stunning, however there are welfare and

shown that higher frequencies (shorter wavelengths)

labor issues. If animal rights activists want to zero

require higher amperage to achieve an effective stun.

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September~October 2018

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te c h n o lo gy

stunning

In addition, it has been questioned whether the highest

thereby poor bird welfare.

frequencies will result in effective stunning at all, although

Head-only stunning

birds may still appear paralyzed and it may hence be very difficult to identify poorly stunned birds in the commercial slaughterhouse situation, writes Berg and Raj. However, electrical water bath stunning will most likely be continued within the foreseeable future for economic and commercial feasibility reasons. Although, European

T

here are systems commercially available for head-only electrical stunning of poultry using dry electrodes. In this system, birds are restrained

Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recommended that

in a cone and two electrodes are placed on either side

alternatives should be developed/implemented, as

of the head of each bird. After stunning, the birds are

the complexity of multiple-bird electrical water bath

automatically transferred to a shackle line moving in

stunning systems used in poultry slaughterhouses is not

synchrony with the cones and carried for slaughter and

conductive to maintaining good animal welfare.

processing.

It is generally agreed that electric water bath stunning

The advantages of this system include application

may result in poor product quality, mainly related to

of a constant current to individual birds and electronic

severe muscle contractions resulting in petechial blood

recording of the current profiles. Birds which are not

splash and fractures, more so at higher currents. This is

or only partially stunned, for example due to poor

not considered an animal welfare problem as birds are

electrical contact, are identified by an LED light that runs

rendered unconscious, but if such problems result in staff

synchronously with each bird. This facilitates the machine

turning down the current settings to improve meat quality

operator to take action by removing the bird from the

this may certainly be a risk for impaired stun quality and

shackle or applying a back-up stunning instrument.

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stunning

There are also less automated systems for small-scale slaughter, where the head of the bird is placed manually in contact with the two electrodes

te c h n o lo gy

by the end of 2019.

"We are on a journey to become the most sustainable protein company on earth and being a leader in animal care is a cornerstone of this vision," says Michael McCain,

Controlled atmosphere stunning

president and CEO, Maple Leaf Foods. "We are deploying world-class technologies and best practices that support our goal to eliminate stress and pain and provide humane

G

as stunning is often referred to CAS systems.

treatment of animals in our care, while enhancing

Such systems have become increasingly

employee health and safety and food quality.”

common during the last 20 years, mainly

"Controlled Atmosphere Stunning provides many

as a result of the animal welfare and product quality

advantages to animal welfare, ensuring chickens are fully

advantages in comparison with the water bath

unconscious and humanely euthanized, while greatly

stunning. Gas stunning does not lead to immediate

reducing stress," according to Dr Greg Douglas, vice-

unconsciousness, but rather induces unconsciousness

president, animal care for Maple Leaf. "This technology,

gradually.

which we have also installed at our pork processing

Indeed, there's a growing consensus that poultry stunned with CO2 suffer far less than with the alternative "electric bath" method. CAS systems eliminate a number

facility in Manitoba, is acknowledged as a best practice around the world," Douglas adds.

Maple Leaf has selected the Meyn Maxiload live

of bird welfare issues associated with the use of electrical

bird handling system for their Edmonton facility. The

waterbath systems including: The stress of uncrating

installation includes the Maxiload controlled atmosphere

birds, the stress of shackling and inverting live birds,

stunning technology in combination with Meyn Maxiload

the problem of pre-stun electric shocks, the possibility

Arrival system. This system ensures a smooth daily

of variation in current within a multiple-bird electrical

operation with a higher productivity and enables Maple

waterbath, and the possibility of birds missing the

Leaf to increase animal welfare and quality of the final

electrical waterbath stunner.

product.

However, the gas stunners currently available

Operational soon

on the market are rather large and involve relatively high investment costs and they can only be used in combination with a certain transport container system.

Hence the system involves large investments and is therefore mainly used at large-scale slaughterhouses.

$28 million investment

A

s part of Cargill Protein’s efforts to address growing interest from customers and consumers for continuous improvement in humane handling

of food animals, Cargill Protein is investing $22 million to install a state-of-the-art CAS system at its London,

N

orth America is about to see two major CAS units in operation. Maple Leaf Foods has announced it is investing approximately $28 million to

Ontario, chicken processing facility. The system replaces electric stunning and will be operational this year.

“As we grow our business to meet consumer and customer demand for wholesome, nutritious, affordable

transition its Edmonton poultry processing facility to

animal protein, we continuously explore enhancements

world-class controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS)

that position us as an industry leader in both animal

technology, reflecting its commitment to building on its

welfare and protein production,” says Claudecir

leadership in animal care, the poultry sector and value-

Pagnussatto, plant general manager at London. “Our

added branded fresh chicken.

new CAS system will help reduce handling stress with

Maple Leaf will convert its transportation, lairage and receiving area and handling systems to optimize resttime and create a climate-controlled environment as it implements this technology.

The new lairage system will enhance lighting, air

chickens, resulting in a higher-quality, more consistent product.”

While both electric and CAS stunning systems are approved, proven and acceptable for humane poultry harvesting, a growing number of consumers and

quality and temperature control, allowing chickens to rest

customers are expressing a desire for CAS systems at

comfortably and significantly reducing stress. The CAS

poultry facilities. Cargill was a pioneer in the use of CAS at

technology selected is a very humane system that will

a US turkey processing facility more than a decade ago.

ensure birds are fully insensible prior to processing. The

“Cargill is committed to ensuring the highest standards

conversion will result in a 26,000-square foot expansion at

of animal welfare are maintained and believes all food

the Edmonton facility, which is expected to be completed

animals deserve respect and dignity prior to harvesting.

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stunning

te c h n o lo gy

We have led the way in many areas of animal welfare,”

covered trucks bring the birds to the plant in redesigned

says Dr. Stephanie Cottee, Cargill’s global head of poultry

transport crates, and deliver them to a fully-enclosed,

welfare based in London, Ontario. “We were the first to

temperature-controlled, de-stressing staging area prior to

install third-party remote video auditing at our harvest

processing called “lairage” area.

plants to ensure our animal welfare program is properly

The transport crates are then transferred to the CAS system, so the birds stay calm and are never handled

implemented.

“For the past two years, we have been named to the second highest international company ranking tier by the

when conscious. This new process, the first of its kind in the US, will be operational in the fall of 2018.

UK-based Business Benchmark for Farm Animal Welfare.

Different gas used

We are dedicated to animal welfare because it’s the right thing to do.”

Perdue on board

S

everal different gas combinations are used commercially. When carbon dioxide only is

controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS) system at

P

Birds are first exposed to relatively low concentrations

its chicken harvesting plant in Milford, Delaware.

(<40% by volume in air), and then, once the birds are

Following this addition, Perdue Farms will install such

unconscious, they are exposed to a higher concentration

systems at other poultry plants.

(approximately 80%–90% by volume in air). Both

erdue Farms has installed a higher-welfare,

The move, celebrated by animal welfare advocates, is

used, the gas is administered in two phases.

mammals and birds have chemoreceptors sensitive to

part of the company’s promise to convert all its operations

carbon dioxide, and birds will react by eg, headshaking or

away from shackling live, conscious animals and

gasping already at relatively low concentrations.

electrical stunning of chickens.

Stunning is a step that renders animals insensible

It has been hypothesized that birds will experience pain and distress if exposed to carbon dioxide at

to pain before processing. Most US poultry plants use

high concentrations (eg, >40% by volume). Therefore,

electricity, a method introduced in the 1960s. By contrast,

a two-phase system is considered to minimize the

CAS, which has been widely adopted in Europe and

discomfort caused by contact with an aversive gas

supported by leading animal welfare organizations,

in high concentrations, and the multi-stage systems

changes the concentrations of gas in the air the chickens

currently commercially available can be seen as a further

breathe to bring about a loss of consciousness.

development of this concept. Nevertheless, exposure

In a typical poultry plant, employees pick up live birds

to high concentrations in the second phase ensures

to shackle them upside down while they’re still conscious.

unconsciousness lasts long enough, such as until brain

With its CAS system, Perdue uses increasing levels of

death occurs in birds through bleed out.

carbon dioxide to calm, then sedate the chickens, before bringing about an irreversible loss of consciousness prior

Carbon dioxide can also be used in combination with inert gases, for example, argon, nitrogen, or both.

to processing. Since birds are stunned before handling,

Inert gases, such as argon or nitrogen, have anesthetic

no bird is upside-down while conscience for any period

properties but only under hyperbaric conditions. Exposure

of time. This, according to Perdue, improves poultry

to inert gases leads to progressive hypoxia in the birds.

welfare – and creates a better working environment for

Neither mammals nor birds have chemoreceptors for

employees.

inert gases, and they do not experience aversion when

“Since implementing the CAS system, we’re seeing

coming in contact with such gases, which is the reason

measurable poultry welfare improvements throughout

why inert gases have been recommended in some

the process, as well as improvements in product quality.

instances as preferable from an animal welfare point of

Our technology uses both carbon dioxide and oxygen

view in Europe and the States.

in the mix, which creates less stress on the birds as they

However, later studies have indicated that birds

go through the chambers,” says Bruce Stewart-Brown,

stunned using inert gases may still experience negative

DVM, senior vice president of food safety, quality and live

effects, such as vigorous wing flapping and convulsions,

production. “In addition, shackling an unconscious bird

as a result of the hypoxia. Some researchers have argued

increases accuracy and proper placement in the shackles

that although the respiratory discomfort caused by

as they continue to move through the process of being

inhalation of carbon dioxide is unpleasant, it may still

harvested. The difference is night and day.”

be preferable to the risk of vigorous wing flapping and

The controlled atmosphere stunning is the first phase of a more than $15-million-project to change live bird handling at the Milford facility. In the second phase,

meatpacking.info

associated trauma seen when inert gases are used to create hypoxia.

From an animal welfare perspective, gas stunning has

September~October 2018

65

te c h n o lo gy

stunning

Low atmosphere pressure system

L

APS operates by removing air from a sealed chamber, in which transport containers full of birds have been placed. The birds are rendered

unconscious by a gradual reduction of oxygen tension in the chamber, leading to progressive hypoxia. Hence, the induction of unconsciousness in this system is, as is the case also for gas stunning, not instantaneous.

This system shares several advantages with the gas stunning systems, for example the possibility to stun birds directly in their transport containers, and eliminating live bird handling and shackling of conscious birds, provided this novel method is also clearly demonstrated to be humane. LAPS is approved by the USDA for commercial use in the USA and is used in one poultry slaughterhouse there, but is currently not permitted in the EU. The system would mainly be relevant for medium or large-size slaughterhouses.

Future development

I

n addition to refinements and improvements of the methods mentioned above, it is also possible to foresee the development of new stunning techniques

several advantages over water bath stunning. One of the

provided that they can be proven to be acceptable

major advantages is the fact that with gas stunning, there

from an animal welfare point of view, according to Berg

is no need for inverting and shackling conscious birds, as

and Raj. This means that they should ensure a level of

the birds are instead brought into the stunner either sitting

welfare at least equivalent to that ensured by the existing

on a conveyor belt or when remaining in their transport

methods permitted by law in the EU, and not be prone to

crates.

manipulation for meat quality or financial reasons.

Based on animal welfare aspects the latter is preferred,

Furthermore, to be commercially relevant such

as this also avoids the possible welfare issues linked to

methods would need to be economically viable and safe

emptying the containers onto the conveyor belt. This

from a workerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health perspective. Two potential new

absence of live shackling is also perceived as positive

stunning methods, transcranial magnetic stimulation and

from a working environment point of view. Furthermore,

the use of microwave energy, have been reported in the

gas stunning is less sensitive to variations in bird size and

scientific literature.

conformation than water-bath stunning.

From a product quality perspective, gas stunning is

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the brain is a non-invasive potential method for the

generally considered superior to water-bath stunning,

stunning of broilers and other types of poultry. To apply

and has substantial capacity in terms of number of birds

electromagnetic induction, i.e. create an intense magnetic

stunned per hour. However, the gas stunners currently

field, a TMS probe containing a copper coil can be placed

available on the market are rather large and involve

close to the skull of the bird, and an electric current

relatively high investment costs, and they can only be

charged by a generator induces the magnetic stimulus

used in combination with a certain transport container

within the brain cortex surface.

Although it does not produce general epileptiform

system.

Hence. the system involves large investments and is

activity, this procedure can result in behavioral signs

therefore mainly used at large-scale slaughterhouses.

and an appearance of the EEG characteristic of

There have also been discussions about public

unconsciousness. According to this, the method may

perception of the concept of stunning or killing birds

have the potential for a future development into a

using gas; as such the method has historic connotations,

short-lasting, reversible stunning method. However, it is

according to Berg and Raj.

currently only at an experimental stage.

66

September~October 2018

Meat Packing Journal

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te c h n o lo gy

stunning

CAS anesthetization Although CAS has yet to make an impact in North America, it is well established in Europe thanks to pioneers such as Marel. What CAS can offer is better meat quality over that of water bath and a more humane slaughter. Martijn Willems of Marel reports for MPJ

well-being. It is not without reason that several major US poultry processors recently decided to abandon electrical stunning and implement the Stork CAS SmoothFlow system in their broiler processing plants.

Tim van Schaik, product specialist live bird handling at Marel Poultry, tells about the world’s first CAS system for poultry, which was produced by Marel Poultry. “Based on intensive research in the early nineties, we launched the first-generation CAS stunning system in 1996. CAS

by Martijn Willems

G

SmoothFlow, our latest generation system, is the result of 30 years of research as well as customer and market experience.

lobally, the interest in controlled

“We have co-operated with numerous research

atmosphere stunning (CAS) systems for

institutes worldwide and the technology we apply is

poultry is growing, driven by multiple

supported by dozens of scientific publications. Our Stork

factors. Governmental legislation and

CAS SmoothFlow system has a unique feature in the

consumer preferences concerning animal

world of anesthetization; the regulated addition of O2,

welfare are key considerations. Product quality, however, is also a main driver for choosing CAS. There are two types of stunning systems commercially

next to CO2.”

Tim van Schaik continues: “Based on scientific research, we found that a mixture of CO2 and O2 is

used for poultry, a water bath system and controlled

the best way for broilers to get smoothly induced into

atmosphere stunning. Worldwide, water bath stunning is

unconsciousness.”

the most used system, but it is losing ground.

Since 2013, EU legislation 1099/2009 has been in

The SmoothFlow system can consist of up to five equal sections, each with its own programmable

place. This legislation protects animals at the time of

controlled atmosphere. The broilers lapse gently into

killing and describes in detail what and how systems must

unconsciousness in the induction phase. Perfect control

be used for stunning and killing animals. For water bath

over the air mixtures in subsequent sections results in a

stunning systems, minimum currents (ie milliAmpères)

smooth transfer to the completing phase.

per bird are determined to ensure loss of consciousness

Most humane

for all birds. These required currents, however, cause loss of meat quality. This is one of the reasons why the majority of European processors has shifted or is shifting to controlled atmosphere stunning.

Legislation

T

aking into account the entire process, including shackling, CAS is the most humane way of anesthetizing. “Certainly when the CAS

SmoothFlow system is combined with the Atlas live bird handling system, broilers can stay calmly in their

I

n other parts of the world, legislation is gradually

trays all the way from the farm, during transport to the

becoming stricter. In some countries, this will lead

anesthetization area.”

to a faster switch to CAS stunning. Marel sees this

Contrary to electrical stunning, broilers aren’t shackled

happening in the USA, where the “Joint Animal Protection

live; only after being stunned, they are shackled in an

Organization Statement on Broiler Chicken Welfare Issues”,

unconscious state, which is also less strenuous for the

a group including the US Humane Society and Compassion

shackling team.

in World Farming, asks poultry companies to use CAS by the year 2024.

The same year is marked as a deadline by the Global

Van Schaik says: “Looking through windows along the entire tunnel, we can check the broilers’ behavior during the inline stunning process. The new generation Marel

Animal Partnership organization for the broiler industry to

Poultry systems stun the broilers within five minutes. We

have taken measures which significantly improve animal

see that the birds go to sleep gently, without any stress,

68

September~October 2018

Meat Packing Journal

stunning

pain or convulsions. Atmosphere stunning results in an irreversible anesthesia.”

Once birds have been transported smoothly to the stunning system, they are exposed to less than 40

te c h n o lo gy

the stunning process.”

Certain countries have regulations that forbid DOA’s from entering into the stunning device.

According to van Schaik, there are numerous reasons

percent CO2 for one minute. After that, the CO2 level is

to think about when deciding to use CAS. “Many

slowly built up to a higher percentage. The improved

considerations have to be taken into account, such as

product quality yield of CO2 anesthesia, compared to

animal well-being, food safety, regulations, hygiene,

water bath stunning, will be one of the main drivers for

religious requirements, and product quality,” says van

processors to switch to CAS.

Schaik. “Additionally, atmosphere stunning systems

The Stork SmoothFlow system processes poultry

have larger footprints than water bath stunning systems,

according to the first-in-first-out principle. Van Schaik

so available space can also be a decisive aspect. Our

says: “The continuous process assigns exactly the same

customers choose the one or the other system with

stunning time and atmosphere level to every broiler.

different priorities and needs in mind. It’s our mission to

Another advantage of this linear setup is the possible

advise the solution which best meets each individual

removal of DOA’s (birds dead on arrival) before they enter

situation.”

meatpacking.info

September~October 2018

69

te c h n o lo gy

stunning

CAS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for all sizes of poultry plants Compared to water bath stunning operations, what will strike you the most about Controlled Atmosphere Stunning (CAS) is how quiet the slaughtering process is. As observed by MPJ, it is easy to see why governments and animal organizations are pushing for CAS adaptation by the industry. While CAS is seen as something for only the large plants, CAS is also ideal for small plants. Meyn and MPJ contribute to this report

I

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to argue against many of the advantages

include gas stunning and the slaughterhouse is forced to

of Controlled Atmosphere Stunning (CAS) systems

go to gas stunning. Some retailers like McDonalds only

have more advantages regarding the animal

sell meat from birds that comply with their Animal Health

welfare and product quality in comparison with the

and Welfare standards. â&#x20AC;&#x192;

water bath stunning. Birds remain in the drawer or

According to EU legislation, poultry processing

container during stunning, so that handling and transport

plants are allowed to stun with gas with the following

of live, active birds is completely eliminated from the

combinations for slaughter purposes: only CO2; CO2 in

processing plant.

combination with an inert gas; and inert gasses. Different

This approach greatly reduces handling stress and

legislation applies to those different methods and is

lowers the risk of injuring birds during the transportation

written in the legislation EU1099/2009. Commercially the

process. Closed cabinet construction allows for CO2

systems in the market mostly use only CO2.

concentration to be managed precisely at every stage of

The first commercial systems had stunning times of

the process, resulting in a more humane stun and greatly

three to four minutes. After research and testing different

improved end-product quality.

applications, it turned out that with a longer stunning

CAS systems eliminate a number of bird welfare issues

cycle the behavior of the birds during unconsciousness

associated with the use of electrical waterbath systems

induction in the first phase as well as the avoidance of

including: the stress of uncrating birds, the stress of

anoxic convulsions occurring in the last stage can be

shackling and inverting live birds, the risk of pre-stun

optimized. Therefore, Meyn chose the use a stunning

electric shocks, the possibility of variation in current within

cycle of six minutes.

a multiple-bird electrical waterbath, and the possibility of

Alternative choice

birds missing the electrical waterbath stunner.

However, the gas stunners currently available on the market are large and involve relatively high investment costs, and they can only be used in combination with a certain transport container system. Hence the system involves large investments and is therefore mainly used at large-scale slaughterhouses.

Meyn, though, also has systems at very small plants

S

ince 2000, the first commercial CO2 stunning systems were introduced in Europe as alternative stunning systems for globally applied electrical

water bath stunning systems. Animal welfare and meat quality benefits were the main drivers for processing

that only slaughter a couple thousand birds per hour. It is

plants to install a first-generation tunnel CO2 stunning

true that the investment costs are considerable, but the

system.

reasons to go to gas stunning can be the following: Animal welfare and/or product quality. For example

Since the adaption of the new EU regulation for the protection of animals at the time of killing in 2009 and

EU legislation about high current which have to be used

coming into action in 2013, the interest in CO2 systems

with waterbath stunning and therefore leading to value

has increased and further developments have appeared.

loss with product quality; High standard labels which some food companies use

70

September~October 2018

With the new EU regulation, the quality loss from water bath stunning increased and no commercial alternatives

Meat Packing Journal

stunning

with electric stunning were available. After scientific research, Meyn introduced the first commercial multi-

te c h n o lo gy

the EU legislation and in agreement with a veterinarian.

While not meant to be an endorsement of one system

stage CO2 stunning system in Europe in 2012. Meyn stuns

over another, MPJ has witnessed Meyn’s CO2 stunning

poultry in batches during five stages and in two phases

system. Birds were unloaded from trucks with Meyn’s

according to the new EU regulation. This eliminates live

Grande drawer system, staying in the same crates for the

handling inside the plant, maximizes quality, and has a

entire process, from farm to processing line.

positive effect on animal welfare.

The crates were then stacked five high in two columns.

This operation was fast and very quiet. With selected

Does CO2 stun or kill?

W

lighting used to keep the birds calm as well, there was not the same colophony of sound at a regular slaughter house. Again, still in the same crates, the birds were

hen the birds are irreversibly stunned, the

loaded into a Meyn Multistage CO2 stunning system.

birds are brain death. Since the brain is not

Once inside the stunning cabinet, the CO2 stunning

functioning after the stun, it is why we call it

sequence was started, and the multistage process

‘irreversible stunning’, although the heartbeat can still be

carefully executed for a humane and irreversible stun.

present for several minutes.

Upon completion of the stun cycle, the containers were

Our stunning efficiency with the Meyn system is close to 100 percent, meaning only a couple of birds per 15,000

automatically transported, de-stacked and unloaded.

While in the USA, water bath electric stunning remains

are able to recover after the stun. Those birds can be re-

the norm, in watching CO2 in action, it is hard seeing any

stunned or killed in a different manor which is allowed in

advantages with water bath except for cost.

meatpacking.info

September~October 2018

71

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crisis

coms

bac k

pag e

recall survival No matter where you are in the world, if you’re in the food industry, you have a very real chance of someday dealing with a recall. MPJ has turned to Gene Grabowski, a partner at kglobal – a Washington D.C.-based communications firm – who has helped managed more than 200 recalls in his career.

by Velo Mitrovich Is it my imagination or in the USA has there been considerable more food recalls since 2011?

publicity. u Failing to prepare for the worst. It’s critically important to plan ahead because so many variables are now involved in a crisis. Smart companies have a tested crisis plan in place, outside experts lined up and available on a moment’s notice, and a respectable recall insurance policy in place.

A problem MPJ has seen over and over again are companies, run by very intelligent people, that seem to believe that the press and public are idiots and they can handle their own damage control. Is this a big mistake?

Failing to hire outside counsel. In-house staff, who may be well-suited for their day-to-day roles, often lack the

Grabowski: Yes, recalls have increased dramatically

experience to handle a crisis or possess inadequate rank

over the past decade. There are two main reasons for

to challenge questionable decisions by top company

this: pressure from the U.S. Congress and consumers

officials. Professional, outside help is now a must for food

for a reduction in foodborne illness; and improved

crises.

technologies that enable the FDA and the U.S. Centers

What are the biggest mistakes you see companies doing when faced with a recall and/or negative publicity?

At one extreme of withholding information from regulators are Peanut Corporation of America and Tiger Brands of South Africa. While the bodies started to pile up, both companies claimed there were ‘no problem here’. Is withholding information or fighting every step always a losing game?

In my view, the most obvious errors are:

I always advocate for transparency, but not a foolish

u Failing to communicate adequately with their retail

transparency. What I mean by that is that a company’s

customers. This is the most important audience food

executives should share all information they and their

companies and yet they neglect to keep them informed

families would want to know if they were consumers

every step of the way in a crisis. Arranging regular,

who had purchased a contaminated product. But that

reassuring correspondence throughout the recall

doesn’t mean you have to specifically identify a piece of

process will often save many of those companies a lot of

equipment where a pathogen may have been discovered

aggravation and money.

or volunteer that your plant has had inspection problems

u Playing games with regulators. Since passage of the

in the past. In short, think like the consumers you serve

Food Safety Modernization Act in 2011, the FDA and USDA

and you have a better chance of managing – and

have become far stricter and more difficult to deal with.

surviving – a crisis.

for Disease Control and Prevention to detect and trace contaminated food.

These days, their number-one pet peeve companies who

u Trying to conduct a limited recall. This halfway

What is the best strategy for dealing with the media when, in the middle of an outbreak with no clear culprit yet identified, fingers are being pointed at you?

approach usually does more harm than good. Companies

Be responsive, be cordial and be honest. If you have

often underestimate the scope of the problem, so what

no information to provide, let journalists know that, and

begins as a limited event quickly turns into a “rolling

assure them that you will share any news once you have

recall,” affecting more products and creating terrible

it. I know from experience that being open and sincere

obstruct them by withholding information, responding to requests in a slow or lackadaisical manner, or becoming belligerent with inspectors.

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September~October 2018

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with journalists is the best way to encourage them to give you the benefit of the doubt when they write their stories.

And once reporters trust you, they will allow you to shape their stories with the proper context.

A worker brings something to your attention, you immediately act and – even with zero incidents or complaints – out of an abundance of caution due to your commitment to food safety and quality, you do a voluntary recall; for example, powdered milk added to a product without it being listed as an ingredient.

The FDA then publishes on its webpage a Form 483 which describes the recall, and turning you from someone who desperately wants to do what is right, to looking like the scum of the Earth. Do you have any recourse?

In such instances, you have no recourse with the FDA. But you can mitigate resulting damage in the media

unrealistic expectations of the industry?

by quickly preparing and sharing a public statement that acknowledges the company’s shortcomings and

Unfortunately, yes, the expectations and pressures placed

outlining, specifically as possible and reasonable, the

on companies regarding food safety are sometimes

immediate steps you are taking to correct problems that

unrealistic. But we have no choice today but to adjust to

have been identified.

them. For instance, we know from research that more than 70 percent of foodborne illness in the United States

hen working for the police in the role of a press officer, the official policy was to never apologize, but instead to say that lessons were learnt. The reason for this was an apology was seen as an admission of guilt, allowing for lawsuits. Should a company ever apologize?

Psychological research has shown that in fact, sincerely apologizing – when appropriate – actually lessens the likelihood of lawsuits and lowers the cost of legal settlements when they are filed. But you have to be careful what you apologize for. You apologize for

is caused by contamination in consumer kitchens and refrigerators. But if food companies were to emphasize that fact too loudly, they would appear to be blaming the victim, which is impermissible in our culture.

While most see crisis communications as something to do only after the horse has fled the barn, for the National Pork Producers Council and Kglobal created the Baconeers which promotes and protects bacon, one of America’s favorite – if sometimes controversial – foods. How successful do you think this approach has been?

inconvenience, concerns, alarm, suffering, etc. that your company’s actions may have caused. You don’t apologize

The Baconeers is a success story and the National

for committing a crime or harming people directly.

Pork Producers Council deserves credit for committing

Consumers now expect public apologies from companies

financial resources and a great deal of patience over

in crisis – and they won’t forgive you until they hear one

several years to that program. By investing time and

from someone in authority.

money into developing some 150,000 online loyalists, the pork industry has created for itself an army of people it

A Campylobacter expert told me that while in New Zealand, he was addressing a public forum on Campy and poultry. He told the audience if they just practiced basic kitchen hygiene and washed their hands after handing poultry, their chances of getting food poisoning from Campy were close to zero. A member of the audience replied that it wasn’t his responsibility – it was that of the supermarkets and farms. As more and more people are further removed from farms and processors, do you think there are

74

September~October 2018

can call to action whenever threats arise from activists or proposed harmful legislation. It also encourages people to think more about bacon, which leads to increased product sales. Most companies and industries have more supporters than they realize. It just takes some cleverness, time and a financial investment to reach those supporters and shape them into a group that can help in times of crisis. The secret is to plan ahead with the knowledge that a payoff may be years away. But in my experience, it’s well worth the effort.

Meat Packing Journal

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