Meat Packing Journal, Mar-Apr 2017, iss 2 vol 4

The international magazine for the meat and poultry industry

MEAT PACKING J O U R N A L

March~April 2017 volume 4 | issue 2 ISSN 2054-4685

back to basics with traditional butchery P.30

how brexit will affect you

P.62

the conspiracy against MAP

P.54

X-ray vs metal detectors

C o Mmen t

Labor lost

S

ome years back I was visiting a salmon farm in northern Norway in a village that could only be described as being in the middle of nowhere. Besides the farm, there was also a fishing fleet in the area which went after cod, and a couple of ship yards. That was it. You were either farming fish, catching fish, or supporting those that were.

Out of nowhere suddenly appeared this massive ex-Soviet transport jet with its give-away top-mounted wings. I looked at my host to see if he was worried; he didn’t even seem to notice the jet. Man, I thought, these Norwegians are a stoic lot. Here they are getting invaded and not even a flicker on his face.

Noticing my obvious concern, he said that the jet was there for the cod.

What?

The area had difficulties enough attracting young people to work at the salmon farms or be deckhands on ships, let alone work at the now closed-up processing plant. And, even if they could attract the labor, there was no way they could pay Norwegian salaries and still make a profit. It was cheaper to fly the cod, via the massive transport to China, have it cleaned and filleted and then flown back to Norway, than to process it locally.

If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. Back in the UK I mentioned this to my brother-in-law who works for Total gas. He said the problem is typical; often times where there are jobs, there aren’t any people or if there is, they are either unwilling or unqualified to do the work.

Jumping to the recent IPPE tradeshow in Atlanta, labor seemed to be on everyone’s mind. This, I quickly realized was not just a problem in the USA and EU, but one even facing companies in population-heavy countries such as India, Nigeria, and Indonesia.

In processing, you either pay people a decent enough salary to attract them to the job – and then go bust because your profit margins are so tight – or you keep your payroll as low as possible and be in a constant scramble trying to find people that are not only willing to do the work, but who can also pass a company drug test. Already, some companies are looking the other way regarding this requirement and as more and more US states legalize cannabis, this problem will only become more acute.

Many US processing plants have become reliant on labor from legal refugees from Somalia, for example, legal workers using guest passes from Mexico, or illegal workers from Mexico and Central America. If the current administration lives up to its promises, much of this mentioned labor force will disappear. While people might shout: “Jobs for Americans”, you have to be naive beyond belief to think that most Americans of any color are willing to put in the long, tough hours on a processing

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Editor's choice

B

illy Franks is the story that will have you cheering for a jerky dream. Page 40

plant floor.

In the UK, thanks to Brexit, its foreign agriculture labor force could disappear (see more in the UK feature) which will affect highly its agriculture industry. One pig farmer told me that without the Poles working his farm and at the processing plant where his pigs get converted into pork, he would have to close down. “I’ve tried hiring an all-British workforce, it was impossible. Young British people are not willing to work on a farm.”

Even in India, where there are potential workers galore, there are labor issues. Have your chicken processing plant be labor intensive and you’ll run into health and safety issues.

At IPPE, Grant Parsons of Prime was showing me the company’s latest piece of kit which can eliminate 16 workers off the processing line. “It’s not that we’re putting people out of work with equipment such as this, we’re allowing companies to stay in business. One company told us recently they had 80 openings at their processing plant – they were able to fill 10 – and this was far from being an isolated case.”

With a world’s population which is doubling every decade or so, eliminating jobs seems to be the last thing any company would need to do in order to survive. They shouldn’t be designing equipment to eliminate 16 jobs, they should be figuring out to add 32. But the reality is, if you’re not taking the steps now to add automation and robotics into your plant, buy the whitewash now for your company windows. You’ll be needing it soon when you go out of business.

On a side note, thank you all who said hi at IPPE and who picked up a copy of MPJ. Out of the 15 publications or so that were on display, at the end of the show MPJ was the only one which had zero copies left.

Velo Mitrovich velo@meatpacking.info

March~April 2017 | Meat Packing Journal | 3

C ONTENT S

c ontent s 18

16

40

54

68

Cover story

18- TRADITIONAL BUTCHERY A pig, a man, and a knife; you know how this story will end. A look at how butchery is still done in villages around the world preventing a recall 16 - Three threats; three solutions country profile: United kingdom 30 - Brexit is casting a huge shadow across the UK and the agriculture industry 38 - Why the UK will need your exports 40 - Billy Franks does jerky American style 46 - Time to buy British, here is our pick of UK suppliers IPPE show review 50 - All the industry was there – but why weren't some happy profood tech 52 - New show launches

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X-ray vs metal detectors 54 - Each has their pro and cons MODIFIED ATMOSPHERe PACKAGING 62 - MAP is more popular than ever – despite what you might think 68 - SuperDrob in Poland is super for MAP back page interview 78 - Junior Urias and becoming a pitmaster also in this issue 7 - News 12 - Safety news 72 - Marketing news 76 - Product news 81 - Events

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TPP ‘dead and gone’ T

he Trans-Pacific Partnership was to be the trade deal of the century. Made up of twelve countries that bordered the Pacific Ocean – controlling 40 percent of the world’s economic output – for US, Australian, and New Zealand farmers and meat producers it would have put money in the bank for years to come.

US meat producers would have had a clear run to Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea, adding around $4.4 billion annually to the US agriculture economy. For Australia, the reduced tariffs alone on beef, lamb, pork, livestock, dairy, wine, seafood, grains, and horticultural products would have meant savings of of over $4 billion.

But that was then. In one of his first acts in taking office, President Donald Trump pulled any support the USA had for the trade deal which he called “horrible”. US participation was the major linchpin for the deal and while it’s possible for the remaining nations to forge

SA’s new levies leaves Dutch angry

A

new levy imposed by South Africa on imports of chicken from the EU has left Dutch exporters – and local importers – fuming.

The South Africa government is calling it a “safeguard duty” of 13.9 percent on frozen chicken legs from the EU to help the ailing local industry. This is happening despite a challenge from the EU and South African chicken importers.

Until the safeguard duty was imposed, there were no import duties on EU poultry imports, under free trade agreement between the EU and South Africa.

Going by the trade deal, South Africa is able to impose the levy

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a smaller trade pact in its place, it cannot go ahead in its current form.

US opponents said the TPP was a secretive deal that favored big business and other countries at the expense of American jobs and national sovereignty.

But US agriculture, which for the most part supported Trump, isn’t pleased with the move. American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall said in a press statement: “It is critical that the new administration begin work immediately to do all it can to develop new markets for US agricultural goods and to protect and advance US agricultural interests in the critical Asia-Pacific region.

“American agriculture is virtually always a winner when trade agreements remove barriers to U.S. crop and livestock exports because we impose very few compared to other nations. We have much to gain through strong trade agreements.

AFBF pledges to work with the administration to help ensure that

American agriculture can compete on a level playing field in markets around the world. But we need the administration’s commitment to ensuring we do not lose the ground gained – whether in the Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe or other parts of the world,” said Duvall.

Unfortunately, the building blocks for just that happening are already being laid.

President Trump has said that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was next in his sights, despite US agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico having quadrupled from $8.9 billion in 1993 to over $38 billion today, due in large part to NAFTA. China, too, is not sitting idly by.

Excluded from the TPP, it is already planning its own version of the trade deal which will not include the USA. While America would like to think that its allies in the region would not sign China’s deal, it will be hard for these countries to pass on the huge sums they could make.

due to what it sees as “dumping” by EU states, which the EU denies. The new levy is imposed until 3 July 2017.

South Africa is one of the important export destination for poultry meat for EU producers, with nearly 20 percent of export to SA. Some Dutch exporters were already suffering with an import levy of around 24%.

The poultry industry of South Africa has fought – and lost – against US exports of frozen chicken. South Africa imposed prohibitive anti-dumping duties on imports of US bonein chicken cuts in 2000, which closed the door on its market to US product. These duties ranged from 82 percent for whole birds down to 12 percent for boneless cuts. Last year, however, the ad-

ministration of President Barack Obama threatened to withhold benefits to SA if the country did not reopen its market to US chicken, beef, and pork.

Many in the local industry feel that South African producers cannot develop their own industry due to cheap imports which they find difficult to compete against. If they were, they see markets such as the Middle East as being ideal for their export.

There has been criticism of EU trade deals in the past, especially those in Africa and the South Pacific, which seem to benefit mostly the EU – despite what its press office might say.

Outside of corrupt leaders, the one-sided deals benefit no one in host countries.

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INDIA Cash crisis hits meat industry hard W

hen Prime Minister Narendra Modi suddenly banned most of India's cash in November last year, he warned that "difficulties" could persist for 50 days. The payoff, he said, would be less corruption and less tax evasion.

The only thing he was right about was the difficulties. India’s 1.3 billion citizens continue to endure an acute cash shortage which is hitting all aspects of Indian life and industry, including its expanding buffalo meat companies.

What had happened in November was the 500 rupee ($7.50) and 1,000 rupee ($15) were declared to be "worthless pieces of paper". Far from being worthless, these two bills made up about 86 percent of all cash in circulation and few countries are as dependent on cash as India.

Within 10-days of the government’s announcement, meat processing plants in western Uttar

Pradesh, already at the receiving end of action by cow-protection vigilantes, began shutting shop, reports BusinessLine.

Units that have closed include MIQ Plant, Al Faheem and Al Saqib, all of which are links of a chain of abattoirs/processing plants in Uttar Pradesh. A majority of those in the meat and meat-related industries are Dalits (formerly referred to as untouchables) and Muslims.

Meat exporters and business leaders BusinessLine spoke to estimate that roughly about 20,000 of these workers will be rendered unemployed because of the cash crunch.

Haji Shahid Akhlaq, who owns Al Saqib Meat Exports, says his meat plants are shut and he has had to lay off 1,000 workers.

Along with Punjab, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh is among the top buffalo meatproducing States. Trade estimates indicate about 1.1 million metric

tons of buffalo meat was exported, earning over $3.2 billion in foreign exchange. In all, the industry employs about 20 million people.

While the exporters get paid by check — as the meat is exported to Southeast Asia, Saudi Arabia, etc, — purchases made in India are in cash.

The animals are procured from small traders, who, in turn, buy them from farmers, or from mandis in places such as Sardhana and Lavad.

While the exporters pay the traders in cash, the latter’s payment to the farmer, too, is in cash.

“Our unit is closed. We are not able to pay either the workers or the traders who supply us. The farmer is not able to sell his animals. It is a really bad time,” Yusuf Qureshi said.

Haji Akhlaq does not foresee any immediate solution. “My bank manager told me I will not be able to access the sum I require for some time. We have shut our factory but the running costs still have to be paid. This is a catastrophe,” he says.

CCTV in slaughterhouses

F

rance has passed a bill ordering slaughterhouses to install CCTV cameras, following an outcry over animal cruelty.

Members of the French National Assembly were informed that lawbreaking is a widespread problem in the nation’s abattoirs.

Twenty-eight French MPs voted in favor of the rules, while four opposed them. The vote must now clear the French Senate before becoming law.

The new bill will require slaughterhouses to install CCTV cameras across all areas – including in

lairages and on the killing floor – by 2018. A trial will take place this year to decide how the technology will be rolled out across the board.

Those caught inflicting unlawful cruelty on animals could face one year in prison.

The proposed law comes after slaughterhouses in the country came under intense scrutiny following footage from activist groups showing some slaughterhouses killing animals without stunning them first.

UK’s Animal Aid claims that 90 percent of UK slaughterhouses are also breaking the law – in one man-

8 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

ner or the other – and has called on George Eustice MP, Minister for Department for Environment, Food, & Rural Affairs, to bring forward similar measures to ensure the use of independently-monitored CCTV becomes mandatory in the UK. “We have reason to believe lawbreaking is a widespread problem in UK slaughterhouses, potentially worse than the situation in France,” claims Animal Aid. Animal Aid, which also campaigns on behalf of vegetarianism and veganism, is the UK’s largest animal rights group. www.meatpacking.info

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Processing equipment giant formed

I

n a move which has no doubt sent shock waves throughout the industry, five marketleading equipment manufacturers have joined together under one group name – Frontmatec.

Proudly displaying their new name at this year’s IPPE – at a booth which reflected their size – Frontmatec was formed by the merger of Attec, Itec, Carometec, Frontmatec and SFK LeBlanc.

But, long after the banner is taken down and back-slapping over, the question will remain: what does this merger mean for meat processors bottom line?

In speaking to Frontmatec’s new CEO Henrik Andersen at IPPE, it is apparent that this mega-merger could not come at a more perfect time. With labor issues reaching a near critical point in many countries around the world, Frontmatec will have the expertise in equipment, software, and solutions to advance

automation to the next level in red meat processing plants.

Showing its Danish pork roots, Frontmatec has already worked with major US players in designing stateof-art pork processing plants that start at the slaughtering line and go through all the way to packaging.

According to Andersen, cattle processing will next be on their list with an estimated time of one to two years. A problem that all beef processors face is the variance in size of each cow, especially when compared to pigs. Andersen argues, however, Frontmatec has potential solutions to this problem.

During the fall of 2016 and beginning of 2017, the Danish private equity company Axcel acquired the five companies. As of 31 January 2017, the Group and the various entities began to conduct their business under the name Frontmatec.

MPJ will cover more on Frontmatec in the issues to come.

halal FOCUS

B

RF has created a new business unit for the production and distribution of products destined for Muslim markets, as the Brazilian company – the world’s largest exporter of poultry – seeks to gain new ground in the Middle East.

Dubai-based One Foods Holdings will target the halal animal protein market in countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, where BRF claimed to already control 45% of the poultry products market.

The countries, BRF said, were all experiencing economic and demographic growth beyond the global average – with a combined population of around 1.8 billion – and subsequently offered an ideal opportunity for it to capture.

With 15,000 employees, One Foods will become one of the world’s largest in halal and source its products from Brazil, the UAE, and Malaysia.

Less confusion LESS waste with label

F

or more than 40-years Americans have been confused by up to 10 different date labels on food products but those days of guessing should be over. In a new US industry-wide effort to reduce consumer confusion about product date labels – and hopefully reduce food waste – grocery manufacturers and retailers have joined together to adopt standard wording on packaging about the quality and safety of products.

Currently, there are more than 10 different date labels on packages – such as Sell By, Use By, Expires On, Best Before, Better if Used By or Best By. This results in confused consumers dumping a usable product after the package date expires.

The new voluntary initiative streamlines the myriad date labels on consumer products packaging down to just two standard phrases.

“BEST If Used By” describes product quality, where the product may not taste or perform as expected but is safe to use or consume. “USE By” applies to the few products that are highly perishable and/or have a food safety concern over time; these products should be consumed by the date listed on the package – and disposed of after that date.

The new initiative for common phrasing is led by the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the two major trade associations for retailers and consumer products manufacturing.

10 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

Retailers and manufacturers are encouraged to immediately begin phasing in the common wording with widespread adoption urged by the summer of 2018. Broad industry adoption of this new voluntary standard will occur over time so companies have flexibility to make the changes in a way that ensures consistency across their product categories.

Product date labeling changes may result in reduced consumer food waste, but clearing up this confusion is just one of several ways to combat the issue. About 44 percent of food waste sent to landfills comes from consumers. Addressing consumer confusion around labeling could help reduce this. www.meatpacking.info

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Wash your hands – it’s all in the recipe

(L-R) Delores Chambers, Edgar Chambers IV, Kadri Koppel, all from Kansas State University's Sensory Analysis Center

K

ansas State University researchers have discovered the secret ingredient to improving kitchen food safety: include hand-washing reminders and meat thermometer instructions in published recipes.

Edgar Chambers IV, co-director of the university's Sensory Analysis Center, and collaborative food scientists have found that only 25 percent of people use a meat thermometer when they are cooking at home. But when a recipe includes a reminder, 85 percent of people will use a thermometer. The researchers saw similar results for hand-washing: only 40 to 50 percent of people wash their hands when cooking, but 70 to 80 percent of people will wash their hands when a recipe reminds

them.

"This is such an easy thing to do: just add the information to the recipe and people follow it," said Professor Edgar Chambers. "It's a simple way to reduce foodborne illness and we can actually reduce health care costs by simply adding information to recipes. It's a great finding and a great piece of information for the promotion of food safety information."

Chambers and his research team – including researchers at Tennessee State University and RTI International in North Carolina — have published the research in the Journal of Food Protection.

The four-year collaborative project is supported by a $2.5 million USDA grant. The researchers have

12 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

spent three years studying consumer shopping and cooking behaviors.

Now the researchers are working with on developing a nationwide food safety campaign.

"We want to provide researchbased information for consumers," Chambers said. "The goal is to promote safe behaviors so that people actually begin to do them every day in the kitchen and as part of their shopping behavior."

The project focused on several areas of food safety with poultry and eggs, including using meat thermometers, washing hands frequently, and storing meat in plastic bags provided by the grocery stores.

The researchers observed 75 people cook two dishes — a Parmesan chicken breast and a turkey patty with mushroom sauce — following recipes that did not have food safety instructions. Another group of 75 participants cooked the same dishes following recipes that did include food safety instructions. The dishes required the participants to handle raw meat, eggs and fresh produce while scientists observed how often the participants washed their hands or used a meat thermometer.

By comparing the two groups, the researchers found that 60 percent more people used a meat thermometer and 20 to 30 percent more people washed their hands when the recipes included reminders about the two food safety practices.

The researchers also are studying kitchen lighting, which also can affect food safety. Many people are switching to LED lights and energyefficient lights for kitchens, which is great news for consumers, but bad news for food safety, Chambers said. The energy-efficient lights make meat and poultry appear as if they are more cooked than they actually are. www.meatpacking.info

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The hidden cost of product recalls

I

n 2016, various high profile recalls and minor scale recalls threatened the public safety of consumers across North America, reports Seth Keller of Mérieux NutriSciences. Although it’s impossible to eliminate human error, and thus recalls entirely, it is paramount to understand the direct economic impact of recalls and related risks.

Likewise, there are extensive efforts made by regulatory agencies to support food manufacturers as a supplement to the efforts your company should be making to ensure you remain off the recall lists in 2017.

A 2011 GMA report titled, "Capturing Recall Costs: Measuring and Recovering the Losses" surveyed 36 companies and found, "For companies that have faced a recall in the past five years, 77 percent of respondents estimated the financial impact to be up to $30 million; 23 percent reported even higher costs."

The number of recalls per year has been steadily increasing.

As an example, according to the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service website, there were 53 recalls in 2005 involving beef,

poultry, and pork products. This number nearly tripled, reaching 150 total recalls in 2015.

This does not necessarily mean food has become increasingly less safe, but would indicate health officials and government agencies have increased inspections, improved tracking and thus improved their ability to pinpoint outbreaks.

Technological advancements in pathogen detection methods, in addition to an increase in percentage of imported food in the US food supply chain, have also impacted the increase in recalls.

Improper or ineffective Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) are often the underlying reason for a vast majority of food recalls.

The FDA has defined GMP-related issues as any problem that could be avoided through the use of preventive measures, including employee training, proper equipment sanitation, and maintenance of processing equipment. When effective and thorough GMPs are not established or followed, the risk for some of the major causes of recalls increases dramatically. These causes may include: contamination during pro-

cessing, ineffective sanitation, and mishandling during transportation.

Food manufacturers must understand current and emerging regulations in order to be prepared for the increased scrutiny of food regulatory agencies. The new Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) has now redirected the focus from “recall response” to “recall prevention.” Companies must proactively implement supplier verification programs, preventative food processing control plans and environmental monitoring systems, which when reviewed and evaluated will benefit the company as a whole. Effective employee training coupled with continual best practice adherence and improvement, such as enhanced environmental testing programs, are essential to ensure the integrity of the product and thus minimize the risk of costly recalls in the future.

However, implementing new programs and processes alone may still lead to food safety shortfalls. For true effectiveness, companies must use the data they receive from enhanced programs and manage this against the data used to mitigate and reduce future problems.

FSIS demands better used by labels

W

ith around 50 different versions in the USA of the ‘Best if Used By’ label, the US Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is asking manufacturers and retailers of eggs, meat, and dairy products to use one universal “Best If Used By” date label on their products.

“In an effort to reduce food loss and waste, these changes will give consumers clear and consistent information when it comes to date labeling on the food they buy,” said Al Almanza, USDA Deputy Under www.meatpacking.info

Secretary for Food Safety. “This new guidance can help consumers save money and curb the amount of wholesome food going in the trash.”

Except for infant formula, product dating is not required by Federal regulations. Food manufacturers frequently use a variety of phrases, such as “Sell-by” and “Use-by” on product labels to describe quality dates on a voluntary basis. The use of different phrases to describe quality dates has caused consumer confusion and has led to the disposal of food that is otherwise wholesome and safe because it is past the

date printed on the package.

FSIS is changing its guidance to recommend the use of “Best if Used By” because research shows that this phrase is easily understood by consumers as an indicator of quality, rather than safety.

USDA estimates that 30 percent of food is lost or wasted at the retail and consumer level. This new guidance builds on other recent changes FSIS has made to facilitate food donation and reduce food waste.

The US is hoping the new labels will help it achieve its food waste goal of a 50% reduction by 2030.

March~April 2017 | Meat Packing Journal | 13

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European project for better packs

T

he Quali Meat project, which is a three-year research project involving Bavaria and Austria, started recently with funding of 1 million euros. As part of a three-stage process under the leadership of the Management Center Innsbruck (MCI), the five project partners from science and industry, which also include MULTIVAC, will research the interaction between packaging materials and the packaged product. The declared aim of the project is to develop packs, which can keep meat fresh for longer and increase safety for consumers.

The first stage is to analyze a wide range of packaging materials from conventional as well as sustainable and resource-saving raw materials, and then to characterize these as regards their mechanical properties, barrier function and pack integrity. In the second phase, the focus will then be placed on the interaction between the tested

materials and the meat products.

By measuring color, texture, bacteria count, and fats, those involved in the project expect to gain extensive knowledge about the effect of the packaging materials on the shelf life of the food, as well as about which films are best at keeping the meat fresh. The third stage of the project will then clarify how this knowledge can be applied.

The primary aim of the project is to significantly increase safety for consumers by using the most suitable types of packaging. Stefan Scheibel, senior director of the corporate training & innovation center at MULTIVAC, said: “The expansion of a network of experts in the meat sector will also lead to a systematic, ongoing improvement in the packaging procedure for food, as well as increasing the added value for food products generally.” In addition to this, Quali Meat will also aid the development of regions within Bavaria and Tyrol.

US FDA BAN antimicrobials for livestock growth

T

he US Food and Drug Administration has announced it has completed the implementation of Guidance for Industry #213. This is a significant milestone in national efforts to address the use of medically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals.

According to the FDA, the process begun in 2013 to transition antimicrobial drugs with importance in human medicine, which are also used in the feed or drinking water of food-producing animals with veterinary oversight. It eliminates the use of these products in animals

for production (e.g., growth promotion) purposes.

FDA can now report that all affected drug applications have either aligned with the recommendations outlined in GFI #213, or their approvals have been voluntarily withdrawn.

The agency realizes that some farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, and others may face challenges as they adjust to these changes and the FDA is committed to continue working with stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition.

14 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

Dirty Cajun USA: Texas Best Proteins (Farm to Market Foods), of Santo, Texas, is recalling 25,332 pounds of Cajun Style Dirty Rice containing chicken products and Turkey Cajun Dinner Kits containing Dirty Rice due to misbranding and undeclared allergens. The product may contain peanuts, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.

Illegal ribs CANADA: Olymel of Boucherville, Quebec, is recalling 1,124 pounds of pork ribs products because the products were repacked and distributed without the benefit of federal inspection. FSIS discovered that a shipment of pork spare ribs entered the United States from Canada.

Gold Medal pathogens USa: Gold Medal Packing of Rome, New York, is recalling 4,607 pounds of boneless veal products that may be contaminated with E. coli O26 and O45, announced FSIS. The problem was discovered during routine sample testing.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness.

Plastic in Mexican USa: Ruiz Food Products of Denison, Texas, is recalling 23,544 pounds of beef and cheese tortilla products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically brittle clear plastic, FSIS announced. The problem was discovered after the firm received consumer complaints.

www.meatpacking.info

Still the only true North American provider for red meat processing solutions, now with expanded possibilities for your business!

Frontmatec is the result of a merger between the five companies: • SFK LEBLANC: Complete integrated turnkey solutions to stand alone machines.

• Attec: Red meat cutting automation and deboning concepts including logistics and warehouse management.

• ITEC: Hygiene systems, ergonomic work aids, automatic systems, by-product systems and logistics solutions.

• Carometec: Online measuring systems for carcass grading.

• Frontmatec: Complete control and automation solutions.

For more information about our merger, go to frontmatec.com or email us@frontmatec.com or call 816 891 2440.

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Preventing a Recall How to manage the threats A recall is the last thing any processor wants, which can end up costing thousands or more in both product and goodwill. However, you can minimize the top food safety risks in your food facility, reports Joe Bove, Vice President, Design, at Stellar

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sk any food manufacturer or processor if they are committed to high safety and quality standards and their answer will, of course, be yes.

But even with the strictest standards, thousands of recalls are still issued each year in the US and throughout the world. In 2015, the FDA recalled 9,178 products, a 12-percent increase over the previous two years. If you weighed the amount of goods the USDA recalled last year alone, it would be as heavy as 52 Boeing 747 airliners. That’s a lot of product gone to waste.

There are three common reasons for food and beverage recalls (listed in no particular order): Undeclared allergens; Pathogens; Physical contamination.

Undeclared Allergens

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ndeclared allergens describe products containing an allergen that is not listed on its label. FDA-regulated foods are legally required to identify major food allergens such as milk, wheat, peanuts, and soy. Even despite new beefed-up guidelines, undeclared allergens are still the most common reason for product recalls. However, you can prevent cross-contamination by following sanitary design principles.

Undeclared allergens often stem from improper cleaning of machinery, which can lead to crosscontamination. Allergens can spread easily through contact with equipment, and unseen allergen residues can often linger and cross-contaminate the next product run despite cleaning.

Hygienic plant design is critical to protecting your facility and your customers from the start.

Ensure you also establish an allergen control plan to help prevent traces of unwanted ingredients from sneaking into your production lines. You can also 16 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

avoid cross-contamination by training personnel on allergen management; establishing a spill cleanup procedure; and thoroughly cleaning equipment between allergen processing Ensure your plant follows sanitary design principles, as well, incorporating non-toxic, nonabsorbent product contact surfaces; self-draining equipment to avoid pooling and collection of residual material; smooth edges and rounded corners on equipment; and using established cleaning and sanitizing protocols Enforcing a strict wash-down policy will also ensure your plant stays sanitary in the long run.

Carefully inspect product labels to ensure accuracy.

Undeclared allergen recalls aren’t always caused by cross-contamination. Sometimes simply mislabeling a product can trigger that dreaded domino effect.

Mislabeling can also occur when you run different varieties of a product on the same production line, including allergen and allergenfree. A prime example: the growing popularity of gluten-free products.

Careful inspection is paramount to prevent mislabeling, but that is often easier said than done.

With today’s increasing packaging line speeds, you may consider a vision inspection system to catch mistakes the human eye may miss. The technology uses multiple cameras to inspect products at high speeds. It can even be set to look for specific allergen declarations on a package, with the ability to detect printing errors, as well.

Pathogens

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ecalls due to pathogen contamination can be even more damaging than undeclared allergens because they put ALL consumers at risk, not just those with certain allergies. The top causes of pathogen-related recalls include the presence of bacteria such as listeria, salmonella and E. coli, among others.

Just like preventing undeclared allergens, www.meatpacking.info

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avoiding a pathogen-based recall ultimately comes down to hygienic plant design. Ensure your food or beverage facility employs these key sanitary design best practices: Zones of control: You must separate areas that house uncooked (raw) products from cooked, ready-to-eat (RTE) products. The same applies to welfare areas for employees who work in these two separate areas. In other words, personnel who handle raw products should have separate locker rooms, wash stations, and cafeterias from those who work with RTE products.

Temperature and moisture control: Controlling temperature and humidity is vital to reducing mold and bacteria growth. Proper mechanical systems, ventilation and refrigeration can minimize condensation in work areas. Also, consider using air dryers to lower the dewpoint of compressed air and to avoid condensation where steam from equipment meets cold pipes.

Ability to clean and maintain the facility: When it comes to your manufacturing plant and the equipment inside, select materials that are both durable and cleanable. Remember, it doesn’t take long for bacteria to grow, so it’s essential to keep production areas as clean as possible. This means regularly washing down equipment and requiring proper hygiene among personnel, too.

Physical contamination

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hysical contamination—when a foreign object is mixed in with a product—is often the result of some breakdown in the production process, whether by human error or malfunctioning equipment. A number of foreign objects have caused physical contamination recalls, including glass, metal, plastic, rubber, stones and wood.

Various safeguards can be built into your plant’s processing design to screen for physical contaminants, such as X-ray scanning, metal detection, filtration mechanisms and sieving processes.

While these systems are helpful, they aren’t always fool-proof. It’s important to know your suppliers and to carefully examine raw materials that arrive at your facility. You can avoid physical contamination recalls with proper preventative www.meatpacking.info

maintenance (a prerequisite for the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) guidelines for those in the USA). It’s your responsibility to keep your consumers safe. Focus on the above best practices to prevent a recall in your food or beverage facility.

Joe Bove has more than 28-years experience in the design, engineering, and construction of food processing plants. To learn more about how sanitary design can prevent recalls, email him at jbove@stellar.net More information can be found on Stellar’s found industry blog, Food for Thought, stellarfoodforthought.net. Stellar is a fully integrated design, engineering, construction, and mechanical services firm that provides the industry’s most comprehensive range of self-performed services, including planning, design, preconstruction, construction, refrigeration, mechanical and utility, building envelop, and total operations and maintenance services. Visit Stellar’s website at stellar.net.

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Traditional pig slaughter in Serbia Morovic is a Serbian village located about 100km west of Belgrade; almost on the Croatian border. If every visiting power which once held the region was represented on its coat of arms, it would require a shield as large as a house. But one thing has never changed over the millenniums and that’s the region’s fame for bacon, ham, and sausage – especially kulen. Miloš Bičanski reports and photographs

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hange comes slowly in this part of the Balkans and pig production is no exception.

Around 80 percent of the population is still working the land and many have their own cows, pigs, and chickens.

One of the few changes that

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have taken place over the past 15-20 years is back then, every family raised a pig in their backyard which allowed them to be self-sufficient in pork.

Now, only about 50 percent of the villagers in the region still raise their own pigs, with many of these selling on a pig or two to neighbors without.

What is still very rare is to find anyone who raises a quantity of pigs with a more commercial bent, www.meatpacking.info

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selling pork products to neighboring villages and towns.

The slaughter traditionally takes place in late autumn or early winter and can start as soon as it gets cold. The cold is required as a natural method of preserving the relatively large quantities of meat during the butchering. While in theory with most families having refrigerators and air conditioners, www.meatpacking.info

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the slaughter could take place at any time of the year, the vast majority of pigs are still slaughtered in either late October or November. This allows for plenty of time to prepare pork products for the festive cuisines of Christmas, New Years, and beyond.

The slaughter requires numerous preparations, including troughs, large quantities of boiling water, March~April 2017 | Meat Packing Journal | 21

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large wooden barrels for storing meat, pots, and very sharp knives.

The pig is quickly slaughtered with a knife, bled, and then put in a wooden or metal trough and bathed with hot water to remove the hair. Once most of the hair is off, the pig is taken from the trough and any remaining hair is removed with a knife. Then it is again washed with hot water.

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Very sharp knives and a cleaver are required for butchering. First the pig's intestines are removed.

The carcass is cut into, hams, shoulders, bacon sides, loins, pork chops, and other cuts of lesser importance. Little mechanization is used, with meat being cut manually. Any grinding is done with relatively small manually operated, mechanical grinding machines. The traditionally produced ham www.meatpacking.info

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(ťunka), bacon (slanina), the sausages (kobasica) such as blood sausage (krvavica) and kulen are well known as delicacies.

Kulen is a sausage, famous in the region, and hog casings are stuffed with chopped, high-quality pork meat, mixed with salt, pepper, and spices. One of the main characteristics of the sausage is its deep red color, which comes from the substantial amount www.meatpacking.info

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of paprika that is added, giving it a hot, spicy taste.

There are still plenty of small villages in the region that produce kulen in the original way with all natural ingredients.

The most important thing to pay attention to while making kulen is to make sure not to leave any air in the colon (or other casing); the mixture must be stuffed firmly and carefully. After filling, the March~April 2017 | Meat Packing Journal | 23

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sausages are tied with heavy string which enables them to be hung. This is traditionally done from tall ceilings in order to allow the sausage to dry. Kulen matures during the winter; it can be eaten during this time, although it’s not fully dried and cured yet. It will develop its full taste by the following summer. To produce a dryer, firmer kulen, it is 24 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

sometimes kept buried under ashes, which help dry it. Kulen is a shelf-stable meat product, with a shelf life of up to two years when stored properly.

The wood selection for smoking kulen plays a very important role, because not all types of wood provide a good taste; the best smoke comes from beech and sometimes cherry wood. After the www.meatpacking.info

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smoking, the sausages are air-dried for another several months. This process can last up to a year.

Although similar to other air-dried procedures, the meat is fermented in addition to the air-drying.

High-grade kulen is sometimes even covered with a thin layer of mold, giving it a distinct aroma.

The pig I photographed is one which my brother www.meatpacking.info

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bought, weighing 230kg (505lbs). The butchered who slaughtered and cut-up the pig is a friend who will also smoke your sausage, ham, or bacon for you. My brother doesn’t know how to make kulen, yet, and he takes the pig meat to another butcher who is famous for his kulen. You are all invited to Serbia to sample this wonderful sausage.

March~April 2017 | Meat Packing Journal | 25

TT1512/TT1815 VERSATILE, PRODUCTIVE Versatility and high-speed production are key aspects of the TT1512 and TT1815 family of double clippers. Products ranging from 20–140mm diameter are packaged in plastic, fibrous or collagen casing at speeds up to 200 portions per minute. Air-free slack filling with overspreading on the TT1815 and complete control over clip pressure and pitch increase your product range while maximizing productivity and quality.

“No matter how much we grow, we will not outpace this duo.”

– Steve Lea, Blue Ridge Beef

Optional v-turret or parallel turret head for fast casing change.

Touchscreen access to stored recipes and operating speeds.

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To learn more, visit or call: www.jbtfoodtech.com | www.tippertie.com/TT1815 | youtube.com/tippertiegroup | 919 362 8811 We’ve expanded our offering to better serve you.

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butchery products

Hand and body protection

More efficient cuts

Ironwear offers a full line of hand protection to protect hands and arms from cuts and punctures. Gloves come with closure options such as an all-mesh snap closure.

This is its most hygienic option, with no cloth or TPR strap, all-stainless steel metal mesh is the easiest to clean, with little worry about cross contamination. In addition, this option typically lasts longer since the entire glove is built with only stainless steel rings.

Another option is the all mesh spring closure. Also hygienic, the spring closure allows you to simply slide the glove onto your hand. The spring is encased in mesh at the wrist. Like the snap option, this glove is entirely made with stainless steel rings and has a stainless steel spring.

When the job calls for an intense amount of force and a wide range of cuts, Ironwear mesh tunics are ready to provide full protection. Tunics essentially cover the user from the wrist and the entire body down to the knee, and are put on almost like a wrap-around smock: place your arms through the sleeves and strap it around your waist and shoulders.

Tunics provide full coverage for cut and puncture protection and full upper torso protection. In general, mesh is somewhat flexible and can be engineered to specific designs needed for each job task. Ironwear has the capability to make the specific design you require All Ironwear chainmail products are engineered with one of the smallest ring diameters on the market; the rings are individually welded for maximum strength, flexibility, and durability with four rings passing through. This leaves a product that is lightweight, strong, durable, and easy to clean. “We use one of the smallest stainless steel ring diameters, along with a four-ring pass-through, for comfort and safety. The small ring diameter allows our designs to lay better on hands, arms, and body. Mesh can be cumbersome to use since the product is somewhat formless,” says Ironwear. “Smaller rings allow for less pull when working and flexing, and have less tension and stretch points, resulting in longer use.”

Bettcher’s Whizard Quantum Trimmer System is specifically designed to make meat processing jobs easier, more efficient, and more profitable than using straight knives, says the company. “Meat processors can expect improvements in workforce productivity that results in increased profits and throughput.” The new high-speed Quantum Motor provides smooth, effortless operation on all trimming procedures – difficult cuts and all. Adaptive controls automatically increase torque under load while dramatically reducing vibration. The advanced design and durability will deliver longer part life, a reduction and simplification of maintenance, and better energy efficiency for a lower, long-term cost of ownership.

www.meatpacking.info

Pneumatic sheers When cutting applications become extremely challenging due to the strength of the material being sectioned, the heavy duty AirShirz Magnum is your solution, says Bettcher. Lightweight yet powerful, these pneumatic shears are designed to eliminate the stress related to the use of manual shears. These pneumatic sheers reduce the risks associated with cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) and eliminate worker downtime. The spring return and trigger control of the cutting action lead to a safer and easier cut, ideal for a variety of applications.

March~April 2017 | Meat Packing Journal | 27

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Razor sharp

Poultry shears

CES works at the core of the meat industry and supply some of the best butchery equipment available in the world. Its extensive range of knives, steels and blades means that it has a tool to suit every need, budget and application. "Our industry specialists are also experienced and highly knowledgeable in these products and provide unrivaled advice and support in all areas. Let CES supply you with razor sharp performing knives, steels and blades," says the company.

Wolff Industries is the world’s largest manufacturer of industrial scissors sharpeners. Specializing in stainless steel shears with edges sharper than can be obtained elsewhere. Custom edges can be created and tested before you order. No minimum quantity is required. Every item carries a no question money back guarantee.

Sharpen hundreds a day

Complete trimmer

The HE4/HG4S Twins sharpening system by PRIMEdge of the USA is ideal for medium-sized processing plants or sharpening services that sharpen up to 400 knives a day.

The efficient PRIMEdge Twins systems utilizes separate hollow grinding and honing/edging units.

The 4 inch (102mm) diameter stones on the hollow grinder unit thin both sides of the blade simultaneously.

An operator checks the blade thickness with a built-in gauge to determine if it has been sufficiently thinned for edging. After thinning, the honing/edging stones apply a beveled edge on both sides of the blade simultaneously, with the blade bevel angle being adjusted as needed.

The integrated stone dressing system maintains stone roundness for perfect, consistently sharp edges. A recirculating liquid coolant system provides burn-free and dust-free operation. Each unit comes with its own cart for easy portability.

Suhner Industrial Products introduces the TurboTrim – a complete unit for cutting and trimming beef, pork, and poultry. The unit has multiple sized trimmers available for use in the different steps of the meat cutting process, helping to increase productivity, performance, and product yield.

Features of the unit include high-quality, long-lasting stainless steel blades which require fewer sharpenings; a coated housing which runs smoothly and quietly with minimal vibration; and a patented, adjustment free housing with fewer moving parts to save time.

The TurboTrim has a hard plastic handle which is ergonomically designed for operator comfort and a lightweight hand-piece to enhance operator performance and reduce fatigue.

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THE HAND PULLED LOOK YOU WANT. FAST. The SH-50 Shredder is a heavy-duty machine designed to create a hand-pulled shredded look almost instantly. Coupled with an integration system, it is capable of shredding up to 10,000 pounds of cooked meat per hour automatically.

Smaller models available!

Visit FTIINC.ORG/SHREDDERS

CUSTOM SOLUTIONS FOR THE FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY

FTIINC.ORG/SHREDDERS 309.774.4275

AIRSNIP AIR POWERED SCISSORS and POULTRY VENT CUTTER Models 15, 35 & 70

• Increase processing speeds and yields.

• Many shape and length of blades to fit all applications.

• Some applications: wing trim, tenderloin trim, gizzard splitting tail removal, toenail and pad trimming.

Model VC

• Back-up for auto venter for broiler processing.

• Maintains line speed and no missed vents.

• Roaster processing, one tool can process up to 45 birds per minute.

• Reduces fecal contamination.

• Increases yield over knife or scissor venting.

• Reduces operator hand and arm fatigue.

Jarvis Products Corporation

View these tools on our website!

33 Anderson Road, Middletown CT. 06457 Telephone (860) 347-7271; Fax (860) 347-9905 E-mail: sales@jarvisproducts.com; Website: www.jarvisproducts.com

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What Britain leaving the EU will mean to you 2016 is the year the UK public declared their ‘independence’ from the European Union.

Will it someday have the same significance as 1776? Only time will tell, but it’s already leaving a bitter taste in the UK food industry. Editor Velo Mitrovich reports from London www.meatpacking.info

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t started out as a trade deal – the Treaty of Rome – when Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany signed an agreement in 1957 which would ultimately create the European Union.

Since then, the union has grown to 28 members with over 500 million citizens— the world’s biggest free trade bloc and, as a single unit, its mightiest economy, too. The EU countries have experienced their longest stretch of peace in modern times, with prosperity lifting the ‘have-not’ countries to become equal partners with the ‘haves’.

The creation of a monetary union in 1992 led to the euro, which many thought would form the basis of a kind of united states of Europe.

Pollution laws were tightened throughout all of the EU, human rights improved, food traceability implemented, the right to live and work across the EU for any citizen was enshrined in stone, even the standardization of electrical plugs has taken place throughout most the EU – what is not to love?

Plenty, that is, if you’re the UK public. The truth is, the United Kingdom has always had a strained relationship with Europe. Ask any citizen of the UK where Europe is, and about 99 percent will point south across the English Channel. Only the tiniest proportion would think to point downward to the the earth beneath their feet.

Europeans learn to speak English, travelling British on-the-other-hand, learn to speak louder until somebody understands. A better fit for Britain would have always been as a member of NAFTA, but nobody ever asked them.

One problem the the British have with the EU is that being a relatively Johnny-come-lately in joining, much of the EU from an economic sense was already unofficially divided up before the UK was allowed in. Germany would be the manufacturer, France the farmer, Spain the fisherman and Belgium the bureaucrats. London would be allowed to join Frankfurt as the bankers of Europe There are numerous reasons why Britain saw no reason to immediately join. The UK already had the Commonwealth which was an economic powerhouse in itself, made up of former British colonies. It also had Hong Kong which gave it an inroad into China which no other western country had at the time. These advantages were not lost on some jealous European nations and when Britain did decide to join the rest of Europe, its application was promptly rejected by French President Charles de Gaulle. It took a change of government in both France and Britain before the UK’s third application was successful. With World War II still fresh in everyone’s mind and the large part Britain played in the liberation of France, you better believe that this slight has not been forgotten in the UK. Another reason for the lack of love is the idea

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EU Council chief Donald Tusk wants Britain to reverse the Brexit vote or else pay the price with a hard Brexit.

in the UK that the European Commission sees its funding as food, in one giant hog feeding trough.

Any Brit on holiday to Ireland, Italy, Spain, or Greece can see billions being poured into these countries – billions of British taxpayer pounds – with little tricking back. And, what has shocked the British over the years isn’t the money going into other EU states to help improve infrastructure, schooling, etc, but the waste that was and is going on.

For example, in Ireland the EU gave out grants – huge grants – to build up its fishing fleet. Great idea, except for the fact that the department responsible for handing out EU fishing quotas wasn’t part of the deal. Ireland got a fleet; but it didn’t get any fish to catch. For a time, the EU cut expensive deals with African and Pacific nations to allow Irish-flagged vessels (along with Spanish and Italian) to fish in their waters. It was then decided it would be cheaper to pay the fishing boat owners to scrap their vessels. Norwegian shipbuilders (not part of the EU) made a fortune first building and then dismantling the ships. In the meantime, EU 34 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

fishing quotas in UK waters were given to French and Spanish vessels, meaning that at times UK fishermen could be tied up at pier without a quota and be able to see French/Spanish boats fishing within easy sight of land.

In Spain, grants helped to pay for an ultramodern airport that’s not used and empty apartment buildings; in France it’s allowed farmers to take advantage of massive subsidies, and in Greece, projects that beggar belief.

On the small island of Tilos the mayor convinced the EU to build a stadium. I’ve seen it and it’s a beautiful stadium, seating 5,000, which is a bit insane on an island that has more donkeys than humans that number about 500. In the Peloponnese, someone got a grant to lay around five miles of fiber optic cable up a mountain to my village of Vorio and three other nearby villages, that all total have around 100-150 people depending on the season. Will the fiber ever be lit or actually hooked up into anyone’s house? That’s the big question with no answer; the grant didn’t cover that. www.meatpacking.info

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And then what gets everyone’s goat up in the UK are the number of ‘institutional seats’ the EU has. Since by treaty the EU can have no capital (although everyone acknowledges Brussels as being it), the European Commission moves several times a year from Brussels, to Luxemburg, and then onto Strasburg in France. Each MEP (Member of European Parliament) then requires several residences, extra staff, and a lot of shipping boxes.

There is no accounting into all of this, corruption and nepotism is rife, and constant calls by Britain to reform all of this got shot down by officials who answer to no one.

Still, if this was the full extent, Britain would have kept a stiff upper lip and tolerated it, but then there became the issues of the immigrants. When Britain joined the EU, most thought that all of Spain would immediately move to Britain; in reality there has been more of the opposite movement.

When Poland joined it did seem like most of Poland came to the UK but with fewer and fewer British lads going into agriculture, bricklaying, plastering, painting, etc, Polish craftsmen have been a godsend to the island.

But when Bulgaria and Romania were allowed to join and the ‘wrong’ immigrants started pouring in, the cracks in British resolve and tolerance began to widen. Hard working Poles are one thing; Romanian gypsies begging in Mayfair are another.

All it needed was one more incident to tip it over and this happened when Germany welcomed with open arms refugees and illegal immigrants from the Middle East, Africa, and elsewhere. While Germany might have said it was for humanitarian reasons, the main reason is the country needs a labor force, especially one that is willing to do the work that young Germans won’t. Germany accepted around a million and with EU freedom of movement, many in the UK saw this as giving these people an open door into Britain.

A few years earlier the British Prime Minister David Cameron gave as an election pledge a promise to have a ballot referendum regarding EU membership. Not knowing what Germany was about to do, it seemed like a safe bet at the time – give to the more extreme groups the referendum to shut them up, but count on the common sense of the British public to back staying in the EU. Few politicians have ever read the political climate as bad as Cameron.

For months the British press was full of leave/ stay articles with each side making more and more outrageous claims – none of which could be proved. According to the Leave campaign, so much money was to be saved by not funding the EU that Britain would be able to build a new hospital every day. A course, with no one from the EU allowed to work at them, it would be anyone’s guess how these hospitals were to be staffed.

The Remain campaign said that if Britain left, www.meatpacking.info

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the pound would drop down so low it would be next to worthless. Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the EC, said that the EC would make life miserable for the British if they left. Even US President Barrack Obama came over to the UK and said if the Brits voted to leave, for all US trade deals they would move to the back of line.

In the face of all of this, a course Britain voted to leave. This shocked all, including politicians such as MP Boris Johnson who backed the Leave movement. It became suddenly evident that there was no Plan A, B, C or even Z; there was no plan at all. Nobody had actually expected Britain to leave; not the British government, not the European Commission.

Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty sets out how an EU country might voluntarily leave the union. The wording is vague, almost as if the drafters thought it unlikely it would ever come into play. This is the reason why it will take at least two years for the UK to leave and why each step is being invented as they go along.

food industry takes a hit

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s mentioned, although it will take about two years for Britain to withdraw, there are already signs that certain industries, such as agriculture and the food industry, are going to suffer. From rural farms to London Starbucks, the supply of EU workers is beginning to dwindle and this is expected to continue.

While workers do not have to leave and indeed, programs will be put into play which will allow existing EU workers to stay, it is hard for people coming to the UK for a better future to have faith that there will be a better life in Blighty.

In an article in the Financial Times, James Hook, owner of PD chicken hatcheries, said workers went home at Christmas and didn’t return. He employees 2,000 staff in more than 100 farms, with 80% of staff coming from eastern Europe. Due to a shortage of workers, he’s been forced to close one farm and is considering closing a further two.

Hog farmers have told MPJ that even before the referendum it was “impossible” to find British workers, especially young people, to work on a farm or in a processing plant. Without the Poles, said one, there would be no British pork.

The National Farmers Union Council said in a statement that it has long called for clarity from government as to what the intended trading environment will be for Britain post-Brexit, as 72 percent of agricultural exports go to the EU. Prime Minister Theresa May says that she will fight for the best trade deal possible with the EU which will result in as little change as possible – something the EC has said will not happen so as to discourage March~April 2017 | Meat Packing Journal | 35

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other countries from leaving.

"We hope the Prime Minister’s ambition can be achieved, but as we know these kind of deals normally take years to conclude and do not cover all products," the NFU Council stated. "If a quick and comprehensive deal cannot be achieved it would be absolutely vital that there are appropriate phased arrangements to avoid a disruptive cliffedge to allow Britain’s farmers to adapt."

The National Pig Association has joined forces with UK poultry industry organizations to warn the British government of the huge potential impact on the industries of restricting access to migrant labor after the UK leaves the EU. In a joint letter to Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill, NPA chairman Richard Lister and his counterparts at the British Poultry Council and British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) warned: "Our ability to produce food for the nation will be undermined by a lack of access to EU labor, as the fallout from the EU Referendum casts uncertainty over the future of current arrangements."

The pig and poultry leaders said they were concerned that restrictions on the free movement of workers into the UK from the EU will prevent vital access to labor required by their industries.

While some economists have argued in the past that it would actually make more sense to turn off the lights of British agriculture and buy all from Europe, recent shortages of green vegetables and fruits this last winter due to poor weather in Spain shows how vulnerable the UK’s food chain/ supply is. Indeed, several large UK supermarkets were having to ration the amount of head lettuce customers could buy. With the pound now slipping lower and lower against the euro and US dollar, it’s more important than ever for the UK to resolve its food issues.

equipment manufacturers

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hile it should seem that never has there been a better time to buy British processing equipment, this isn’t necessarily the case since even equipment assembled in the UK is made from parts built elsewhere.

Tom Sedgbeer of Sedgbeer Processing, tells MPJ: “In the short term, Brexit has meant that we have had to increase prices to protect our margins due to the weakening of the pound. As the UK and Ireland agents for BAYLE, the vast majority of machinery we sell is imported from France.

“We always try and keep our prices as close to the exchange rate as possible, and for a long time this was great for our customers as we were able to pass on gains. But after the referendum result, sterling fell off a cliff it has been a bit of 36 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

a headache, particularly in the first month or so when there was a lot of movement in the value of the pound, it meant we were constantly adjusting prices and in some cases only offering POA. “The real headache was offering quotations in sterling and feeling the need for a crystal ball to see into the future. For now, though, we seem to have some stability and I hope that continues. Long term is more difficult to predict, we still don’t know what kind of Brexit we’re going to have and how it will all affect us. On a more positive note, our customers are still talking to us about immediate and longer term investment. It will be at least a couple of years before any major changes happen, and hopefully in this interim period we will get more information from the government to help us prepare for what’s to come.”

Joe Holland, general manager of stunning company Accles & Shelvoke, says: "We have shared common standards for CE approvals [how a product complies with EU safety, health and environmental requirements] with Europe on our stunners along with hazardous goods transport, which helps simplify our development, testing and transport of goods to our customers in Europe. If Brexit meant a re-writing of approvals for stunners and licenses to transport, then extra cost and complexity would be incurred to our business.”

Since Accles & Shelvoke has 34 distributors around the world and already have to deal with issue outside of Europe quickly, Holland tells MPJ that the company is in a good position to quickly adapt to changes in business and sees a silver lining in all of this. "Our customers pay in sterling, so the lower pound will make us more competitive around the world,” he says. “All of our production is in the UK, so we are not expecting higher pricing other than on raw materials that may be imported by our suppliers.”

One British poultry processing company showing optimism in the future – along with being well placed if labor continues to be a problem in a post Brexit UK – is Maelor Foods, a related company of Salisbury Poultry. The company is building a new poultry processing plant that will have a capacity of 13,500 birds per hour – a first for the UK. After the purchase of the former cheese dairy from “First Milk” in Wrexham, North Wales, Maelor Foods decided to transform the site into a poultry processing plant. It will feature a 13,500 bph broiler primary line from live bird handling on to distribution for whole birds to serve Salisbury Poultry for cut up and deboning portions. There will also be further deboning at the Wrexham plant itself, which has more space and more capacity for Maelor Foods to grow their business.

This is the first new, ultramodern plant to be built in the UK at this line speed, setting new standards for the industry. Marel Poultry will supply a complete kill and evisceration department, www.meatpacking.info

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Will Brexit cause London's famous Smithfield meat market to become as obsolete as a red phone box?

incorporating fully automated giblet and feet processing. Besides that, a Stork in-line air chilling tunnel and an elaborate grading line will be installed.

global brexit

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ustin Sherrard, Global Strategist – animal protein at Rabobank Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory – wrote last year that he saw Brexit as a sign of a long-term shift away from globalization.

“Our world is fast-moving and unpredictable, and this challenges many people, companies and governments. Jeff Immelt, CEO of GE, talked about the need for a ‘bold pivot’ away from a globalization agenda, to a future where ‘companies must navigate the world on their own’. He referred to productivity growth through digitalization, and the need for leaner, faster and decentralized organizations. The trend away from globalization is www.meatpacking.info

not yet strong, but appears to be growing.”

There is a lot to be said in in regards to this view.

Public distrust of governments and institutions can be seen in the Brexit vote, the election of US President Donald Trump, and in elections taking place this year in the Netherlands, France, and possibly Italy. Already there is a rise of politicians pushing isolationist views across most parts of Europe.

“A trend away from globalization – a trend to reducing free trade – is going to challenge the global meat industry,” says Sherrard. “Meat is not heavily traded compared with grains and oilseeds, but the trade that does take place makes a significant difference to producers in meat exporting countries, and to consumers in importing countries. Trade will not stop, but an increase in trade barriers could make life harder for everyone in the global meat industry.”

An example how all this will pan out – for the worse or for the better – will be seen in Britain.

Watch this space.

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Breaking into the UK market A weak pound might seem like the wrong time to sell to the UK, however, there are good opportunities – and they're growing – if you know where to look

I

t might not seem like the best of times to think about entering the UK market, but let’s look at the basic facts that Brexit will not change. The UK has over 65 million people who need to eat and a good portion of the food they require needs to be imported – the rumors you’ve heard about UK weather are all true and this affects the agriculture industry.

And, let’s look at the facts that Brexit will change. There are now strict EU import regulations and labeling/ingredient requirements; these will be subject to change in the UK. Currently, EU competitors do not pay import duty on goods to the UK. The United States generally pays from 0 to 25 percent import duty, depending on the product.

With very pro-UK/Brexit President Trump now in the White House, many people see a ‘sweet-heart’ trade deal will be cut between the two countries.

In 2015, the USA exported a record $2.98 billion of agriculture and related products in the UK. The USA in turn imported $887 million of UK products (not including whisky and other distilled spirits which were worth $1.5 billion).

Already during the period of 2011-2015, US beef exports rose 320.6 percent, worth $12.2 million.

Poultry meat was up as well along with snack foods – including jerky. Only US pork products showed a decline during this period.

Still, no matter what trade deals are cut, the UK can be a tough market to enter.

Four supermarket chains control over 70 percent of the total market. While from a transport/ replenishment system this is great, meaning it is easy for imported products to be widely distributed, in most cities and towns, all four – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda/Wal-Mart, and Morrison’s – are represented in the retail sector, often times just blocks away from each other. Profit margins are tight and suppliers are expected to be the ones who suck it in. Numerous producers have told MPJ that the attitude is from these big players is: “It’s our way or the highway.” In addition, trial listing must give results in a

38 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

short period of time or the product will be delisted. Compared to the US, the UK is light-years ahead in online grocery shopping. While convenient for shoppers with limited time, without shoppers wandering up and down aisles, it’s a lot harder to ‘discover’ new products. This makes it tough, even for local British processors to get in the door.

Some advantages US companies will have in getting into the UK market is that the road has already been cleared. US fast food chains in the UK include: McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Subway, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Papa John’s, and Starbucks.

(Taco Bell has made a start and now has 14 restaurants, however, almost all are located outside major cities). Because of this, UK consumers are use to US products and tastes. Indeed, McDonald’s has been running for a limited time ‘Great Tastes of America’, burgers with ‘American’ tastes such as Tex-Mex, New York, Chicago, and Tennessee.

According the US Department of Agriculture, the key influences on UK consumer demands include: Slow population growth Aging population Number of households growing – but smaller Growing personal disposable income Rise in number of working women International consumer tastes Reduction in formal meal occasions leading an increase in snacking and “grazing” If the European Commission holds true to what it has said both before and after the Brexit vote, the days of duty-free products crossing into both sides of the English Channel will be over within two-years.

The fallout will be the UK becoming even more a successful market for those North American companies willing to invest the time and resources to cement contacts and to understand the market. With 18 months being the normal time it takes from initial market survey to the time the product appears on shelves, now would be a perfect time to see if your company can gain from the UK market. www.meatpacking.info

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Billy Franks does it Yank The standard bag of pork rinds is gathering dust in the pub; UK consumers are demanding healthier snacks. But, are they ready for American-style jerky? MPJ reports

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all photos mpj

W

ill Yates might be 40-years-old, but it’s doubtful any bartender in the world would serve him without an ID. It’s good thing that he looks around 20 because what he’s trying to do will probably age him at least 20-years and that’s if he’s successful.

See Yates has a dream; bring to UK consumers the type of jerky he loved in the United States. But will his countrymen take that first bite which will lead to the next and the next? A positive answer to that is what his business is depending on.

The UK’s jerky industry is for the most part non-existent. Unlike in the USA where you can get jerky from gas stations to specialty stores; it’s a real challenge to find jerky in the UK and even a harder slog to find any worth eating. Jack Links imports some into the UK but these are the company’s low-end, uninspired products. With the current lowpound/high-dollar exchange rate being predicted to be around for at least two more years, it’s unlikely that any will follow Jack Links – the end price is too high for British consumers feeling the Brexit crunch.

However, if you’re British and still desperate to feed your jerky fix and want something with quality like Duke’s or Krave, you’ll find yourself going through an internet Dutch import company that stocks jerky – but you’ll pay a dear price. Another option, which almost seems like a throw-back to World War II and GIs and nylons in England, befriend an airman at one of the US overseas military bases with an Exchange that stocks a huge

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Top row and left: Will Yates making cheeseburger jerky

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www.meatpacking.info

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Right: All operations at Billy Franks are done by hand

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selection of American jerky – not an option for most.

It shouldn’t have to be this way. A traditional pub snack for years has been crackling (pork rind) but like the cigarette, it’s disappearing from the pub scene as consumers – especially Millennials – demand something healthier. If there was ever a time that American-style jerky – produced in the UK – could gain a foothold in this potential market, it’s now.

Like most of the craft jerky makers and beer brewers in the States, Yates started making jerky as a hobby. His parents had moved across the Pond when he was seven-months old and for the next 10-years he developed a love for most things American, including jerky. After moving back to the UK, the only time he could get jerky was when his dad or friends took a trip over and brought back meat snacks for him.

When Jack Links started importing to the UK he thought his prayers had been answered, but Yates found Jacks to be expensive, overly sweet, and too salty. Yates, who has worked in kitchens since he was 16, figured he could do it better himself so he bought a small dehydrator and started making jerky in his one-bedroom apartment.

Again, like successful craft jerky makers in the States, he found himself first giving away his jerky to grateful friends and then it dawned on him; he could actually make some money with jerky.

Around five-years ago he decided to turn this love for quality jerky into a small business. Needing a name, he thought about what his parents would shout at him when he was in trouble, “Billy Franks get in here”. Billy Franks was created.

This period was a valuable time to learn British tastes. While in the States most jerkies have a sugar-based flavor, in the UK most USA-styled products such as Heinz canned beans and even cereals are less sweet due to different tastes. In the USA few would think of pouring malt vinegar on their fried fish or French fries, wanting something sweet like catsup. Instead, in the UK you have to beg them not to douse your fish and fries with vinegar at Fish & Chip shops. Indeed, some of the most popular styles of potato chips in the UK are vinegar flavored, thus, most of Yate’s jerky styles have a strong vinegar base. Americans trying his teriyaki jerky for the first time would find it has little in common with US sweet teriyaki jerkies.

“There are flavors that I still remember fondly from the States such as Texas barbeque; I’ve just adapted them to British tastes and created some very unique British flavors as well such as Roast Beef & Mustard,” he says. “I looked, too, at what flavors were out there and thought some were a joke like ‘sirloin beef flavor’. There is no such thing as that. Beef jerky tastes like beef jerky, it doesn’t taste like the cut of steak. I wanted to give people honest flavors.”

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WillrYates (L) with assistant Ed Nardi sampling some experimental pork jerky which tasted extremely good

One of his most unusual flavors is Cheeseburger.

Except for the taste of a bun, the flavors are all there from the beef and cheese to the pickle. Oddly enough, the flavors don’t come through all at once but instead, hit your tongue one at a time.

Some of his other flavors include award winning Christ on a Bike – a hot sauce-based jerky – Fiery Fajita, Buffalo Hot Wing, and Sweet Sour Spicy. “All of the flavors reflect where I’ve lived,” he says. Yates played around with different types of beef and decided to go with British grass fed beef, seeing it as a healthier and tastier option. Even the turkey he uses is noted ‘English Rose’ turkey breasts.

He had the product, he had the technique down, but he didn’t have the volume. Yates decided to take an unorthodox approach to financing Billy Franks and went through Crowdfunding.

“With Crowdfunding you have 30-days to raise your goal. If you don’t, the money is all returned.

For most of the 30-days there was little activity, but suddenly at the end it all came through with investors even from Germany putting money into Billy Franks.”

The total amount raised was £186,000, which dropped down to £170,000 after Crowdfunding took its cut. This has allowed Yates to rent a large work space, buy new equipment, and hire an assistant, Ed Nardi.

So, is Yates living the good jerky life now? No. Despite some strong successes such as winning several awards and having companies such as 44 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

Whole Foods pick up his jerky, the truth of the matter is he’s going where no British start-up has gone before. There is no well laid-out trail, he’s a trail blazer and as the saying goes: the pioneer gets the arrows; the settlers get the land. He can’t visit another jerky maker down the road and see what equipment has worked for them; instead he has to just go for it with some definite regrets such as the ovens that he’s bought.

“Everyday is a learning curve, you have to be constantly evaluating yourself; what’s working, what’s not,” says Yates.

Will he succeed? Like many small businesses, despite his assistant he is pretty much a oneman-band. A new, still-in-the-box Primera printer for labels sits in the corner. It would make a big difference to his packaging efforts but it falls under the category: when I have the time. Marketing, a strong web and Twitter presence: when I have the time. Excessive equipment, no longer needed as he’s expanded and which would make a great eBay sale: when I have the time. New flavors such as pork: when I have time.

When you go to his plant, when you see his dedication to his dream, his passion, and what he’s accomplished so far, you want him to succeed, you want put him on your back and carry him to every store you think that should be selling Billy Franks.

You could never see him satisfied with going back to Jack Links; the question is; will the UK find satisfaction with Billy Franks? MPJ hopes it will. www.meatpacking.info

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British suppliers With a pound that has dropped in value against the dollar and euro, now is a great time to look into buying British. MPJ takes a look at some UK companies which have caught our interest.

Sedgbeer Accles & Shelvoke The CASH Magnum XL stunner is the most powerful stunner in the world and the most powerful tool in the Accles & Shelvoke’s product range. The tool uses cartridges to propel a metal bolt which strikes the skull and causes immediate unconsciousness. The animal is then insensible to pain and can be slaughtered and processed humanely and safely. The CASH Magnum XL uses the strongest 6 grain .25 red cartridge to deliver 667 joules of energy.

This combination can stun the largest livestock, including cattle such as large bulls, buffalo, bison, and very heavy sows and boars.

The tool is seeing increased sales across the world with the increase in demand for larger animals for meat production. “In the US, where traditionally our CASH Magnum FreeFlight tool has been used, we are seeing beef producers continue to process heavier animals, and as the taste for exotic meats like bison increases, our most powerful tool is ideally placed to meet this growing need,” says Accles & Shelvoke.

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For over 30 years Sedgbeer Processing has being providing expert solutions to the poultry and game processing industry. Through its long-standing partnership with BAYLE, Sedgbeer can offer market leading, solidly built equipment for all types of poultry and all sizes of operation. “We can offer a complete processing solution, backed up by decades of experience, as well as the BAYLE machines, we also design and manufacture our own line of manual and semi-automated processing equipment, all built in our workshops, most of which can be tailored to your specific requirements,” says Sedgbeer. “Our sound knowledge of all EU regulations relating to poultry and game processing mean, regardless of size, we can offer assistance at every stage of your project. Whether you want to review and improve your existing processing facility, reduce labor costs, or are planning a complete new build, we have the expertise and experience to advise and support you at every stage of your project, from design right through to installation.”

Sedgbeer has worked with some of the biggest and most well known processors in the UK, as well as hundreds of smaller farms and shoots. It not only covers the whole of the British Isles, but has also installed plants in Kenya, the West Bank, and Egypt.

www.meatpacking.info

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Foss (UK)

SF Engineering

The Foss Meat Master II X-ray meat analysis system can scan up to 38 tons per hour of fresh, frozen, or packed meat and determine fat content and weight with high accuracy, while also spotting foreign objects.

SF Engineering designs, manufactures and installs high quality food production lines. It combine process design expertise that enables the company to specify highly efficient food production lines that reduce costs, increase capacity, and require less maintenance.

LAC Conveyor Systems

Vacuum Pouch Company

LAC is a well-established conveyor manufacture who create custom made equipment for a wide range of clients from varying industries. It has been designing, developing and manufacturing conveyors for over 20 years, and has successfully provided solutions for many companies.

The Vacuum Pouch Company is the UK’s #1 supplier of vacuum pouches: including; gas flushing, boilable, sous vide pouches, barrier shrink bags, standup pouches, thermoforming films and tray lidding films. It has supplied over 80 million pouches in the past twelve months.

Scobie & Junor

Cpack Pendle

Scobie & Junor offer a comprehensive range of food casings, to suit every application. For over 80 years it has been working closely with customers, and sourcing new products from around the world, delivering cost savings, and innovation to the entire food industry.

Cpack Ltd is a quality manufacturer of packaging machinery systems. Based in the United Kingdom, it delivers premium quality machines, systems and services to clients worldwide. With over 30 years experience and expertise, it has built a reputation for quality.

www.meatpacking.info

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Trafalgar Scientific

Windsor Food Machinery

Trafalgar Scientific supplies a vast range of products for the many critical areas of the food and beverage processing industry. From dehydrated culture media, to consumables, swabs and a wide range of equipment; all that is required to ensure products are safe to eat and drink.

Windsor Food Machinery is a well know and respected UK supplier of butchery equipment for meat and food processing. Formatic burger machines are an essential piece of butchery equipment for any business looking to save labor and product a quality product.

UPM Conveyor Systems

XL Refrigerators Co

Producing high quality conveyor systems in the UK UPM Conveyors was founded 40 years ago, formed to specialize in providing conveying equipment for the world's packaging industry. All equipment is still manufacturered in the UK.

Dry ageing is the traditional and ultimate way of storing and maturing meat on the bone. The beef is typically hung for 28 to 35 days for a greater concentration of beef flavor. XL Refrigerators makes special cabinets specifically for proper dry aging of beef.

Watermark Projects

Proseal UK

Watermark Projects specialize in water and wastewater treatment, from initial feasibility/design to fabrication, installation, commissioning and final on going maintenance of bespoke wastewater treatment systems.

With the correct system,huge savings can be achieved.

Formed by directors Steve Malone and Robbie Hargreaves in 1998, Proseal has not only become the leading manufacturer of tray sealing machinery and tooling in the UK, but is now recognized as a major force internationally.

48 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

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IP P E

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IPPE a success but labor issues cast a shadow It’s the world’s largest annual production and processing expo which saw nearly 32,000 visitors this year. It’s a great show – in fact it’s a brilliant show – though tweaks made to its format did not go down well with all. What had everyone talking: the massive labor shortage in the global processing industry has many plant owners worriedly looking for automation to close the gap. MPJ reports from Atlanta

T

he Atlanta-based 2017 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) is now history, after nearly 32,000 poultry, meat, and feed industry leader attendees from all over the world walking its halls for three days.

With more than 533,000 of net square feet of exhibit space and a record 1,275 exhibitors this year, IPPE is second in size only to Germany’s IFFA – which is put on only once every three years.

Sponsored by the US Poultry & Egg Association, American Feed Industry Association and North American Meat Institute, it is the world's largest annual feed, meat, and poultry industry event of its kind.

Although show organizers have yet to release a final show numbers and a breakdown of visitor nationalities, an informal survey seemed to show that while there were fewer guests from Asia and Europe, Latin American numbers were up, along with local North Americans.

One of the main subjects with both visitors and exhibitors was the labor crisis in the processing industry, which is now becoming universal. Indeed, even a group from Nigeria said that they had difficulties in finding qualified workers. Processing companies such as Prime and BANSS – which will be releasing later in the year a new robotics machine which will shake up the industry – are releasing equipment which can replace up to 16 workers on a single line.

“The thing is, we’re not taking away jobs,” said

50 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

Grant Parsons of Prime, “we’re allowing companies to stay in business. Companies cannot find the work force they require.”

new format

I

n past years, exhibitors and visitors alike knew that all things egg, poultry rearing, and feed would be in Hall A, with processing and meat concentrated in Hall B. Part of the reasoning for this division has been to turn what many know as “the chicken show” into the meat and poultry show. Indeed, a pig or beef processor could wander Hall B and never see a speck of feed, barn blowers, or egg conveying machines. But that was then.

This year, in an attempt to increase food traffic throughout all of the show, the two halls were mixed up, leaving visitors going back and forth across a sky bridge to see all of their intended companies. While in theory this should have led to more soles pounding the carpet throughout both halls, it didn’t mean visitors or exhibitors were happy about this arrangement.

For the big processing exhibitors such as Marel, Meyn, Prime, Cantrell, and POSS, it didn’t matter.

While the actual numbers of visitors walking past their stands might have been smaller in number, as Ken Gulak, president of POSS, told MPJ: “Nobody is going to just wander past and spontaneously decide to buy a piece of equipment costing $100,000.” The attendees that wanted to see POSS, saw POSS. Gus Politis of BANSS said: “I’m not real crazy about the changes – we’re between eggs – but that www.meatpacking.info

IP P E

said, we’ve been working flat out. On Tuesday I didn’t have time for breakfast or lunch.”

Kathy Barbeire of CATSquared said that while for them the show was fantastic, with eight people at the stand working non-stop throughout the three days, customers told them that they found the split-show confusing and that they were left feeling they had not seen all the folks they wanted.

Thomas Pump & Machinery lost its well-known, heavily traffic spot in Hall B and was moved to Hall C. Early in the show, owner Jim Thomas told MPJ he wasn’t sure yet what the change would bring but he was not optimistic that the new location would have been as good as the old which was a hotspot of excitement thanks in part to their handing out New Orleans-style ‘juju’ beads necklaces.

Some smaller exhibitors, without the namedrawn and who are dependent on wandering visitors ‘discovering’ them, felt that they had been placed in “Siberia”. One told MPJ in disgust on the first day of the show that he was packing up that night and flying to Miami. “There is no point of my sticking around Hall B. I’m stuck around egg companies; nobody is going to see me there.”

That said, visitors can sense the positive energy of exhibitors and are drawn like moths to a porch light. First time exhibitor Troy Bird of S2I, which launched a needle-free injector at the show, would have still drawn a crowd even if show exhibitors had placed him on the dark side of the moon. “We’d be alone for two-minutes and then www.meatpacking.info

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Above: The show was "great" for Troy Bird (center left).

SLAMMED! Our little space would have 80 people crammed in.”

Despite being placed in a corner of Hall C, LINPAC’s Daniel Strickland said that they had a great show and are now expecting big things from the North American market. LINPAC’s booth was simple and plain, without a whistle, bell, or candy bowl in sight, showing that if you have a great product, they will come.

Future issues of MPJ will cover S2I’s development, along with new developments from all the major IPPE players.

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p ro

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Inaugural ProFood Tech to kick off in Chicago It's a crowded market out there but a new trade show says it has all the ingredients needed for success and a wide audience across different industries. MPJ reports

B

acked by three industry powerhouses, ProFood Tech offers a prime tradeshow experience for food and beverage professionals, says the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), a food industry leader in developing and delivering educational programming, and PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

The show, which will open on 4 April in the Lakeside Center of the McCormick Place in Chicago, is designed specifically for food and beverage professionals in operations, plant management, engineering, R&D, quality assurance, supply chain management, sales, marketing, and business development.

PMMI says that ProFood Tech is “the most comprehensive food and beverage show in North America, transcending market sectors and showcasing cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions”. It will include 6,000 processing professionals, 400-plus of the world’s top suppliers, 150,000 net square feet of exhibit floor and 45 hours of “blockbuster educational programming”.

Five-time National Football League (NFL) MVP Peyton Manning will give the keynote speech, taking place on opening day from 0800 to 0915.

“NFL great Peyton Manning will share realworld leadership tips and how you can become a winner too by learning to adapt to changing circumstances,” says Neil Moran, senior vice president, IDFA. “Manning combines his trademark humor and real life stories to challenge audiences to reach higher than they ever thought possible.”

As one of the most decorated NFL quarterbacks of all-time, Manning most recently led the Denver Broncos to victory over the Carolina Panthers

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in Super Bowl 50. Prior to that, he led the Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl 41, beating the Chicago Bears and making him the first starting quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with two different teams.

“A gifted leader who understands how to build successful teams is exactly who we want to address attendees at the ProFood Tech Conference,” says Charles D. Yuska, president & CEO, PMMI. “Conference participants will hear from Manning on how to motivate a team and work together toward a common goal. We are excited to hear his insights on leadership and forming strong teams.”

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hanks to a cooperation agreement with the event organizers, registration for the inaugural ProFood Tech also includes admission to both the ProMat and Automate events being held April 3–6 at McCormick Place.

The ProMat and Automate events are located nearby in the North and South Halls of McCormick Place. ProMat is sponsored by MHI, an international trade association representing the material handling and logistics industry. ProMat is North and South America’s premier material handling expo focusing on manufacturing and supply chain solutions and attracts over 40,000 attendees. ProMat offers over 900 exhibits and over 100 complimentary educational sessions. ProMat and Automate 2017 will total over 1,200 exhibits.

Automate is North America’s largest automation show, organized by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), it showcases innovations and technologies in automation (including robotics, vision & imaging, motion control, metrology and more) and attracts over 20,000 attendees. www.meatpacking.info

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Show times Tuesday, 4 April – Thursday, 6 April, 2017 10am – 4pm daily McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, USA

The deal between ProFood Tech, ProMat and Automate, allows attendees to gain access to all three events, providing perspective on the entire supply chain for food and beverage processing, as well as best practices from other industries.

“The agreement with ProMat and Automate opens up new opportunities for attendees to learn about critical solutions for food and beverage processors in the material handling and automation areas, providing significant benefits for attendees,” says Jim Pittas, senior vice president, PMMI. ProMat and Automate attendees will also gain complimentary access to ProFood Tech. “With many of our attendees coming from the food and beverage sector, we are excited to offer this opportunity for them to experience solutions for the processing side of their operations in one location,” says Tom Carbott, senior vice president of Exhibitions, MHI. www.meatpacking.info

“Automate is very excited to continue our partnership with ProMat and now PMMI, IDFA and Anuga with the launch of ProFood Tech. The combination of all three shows at McCormick Place at the same time is an incredibly effective way for attendees to maximize one trip to Chicago,” says Jeff Burnstein, president of the A3 and its Robotic Industries Association (RIA), AIA – its vision and imaging group and Motion Control & Motor Association (MCMA).

PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, represents the voice of more than 750 North American manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, components and materials as well as providers of related equipment and services to the packaging and processing industry For questions about ProFood Tech, please contact Melissa Lembke at +1 202-220-3512 or mlembke@idfa.org.

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X-ray inspection vs metal detection Like a man who wears suspenders and a belt, many processing plants will use a combination of X-ray machines and metal detectors to check product. Is one system better than the other? MPJ takes a closer look

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early every day of the week the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service publishes a food recall notice. The largest recalls, affecting an entire product’s production, are usually caused by an allergen – such as soy sauce – not making it onto the food label. While not to discount the serious nature of this, in almost each and every case, the recall comes about by either from an internal or external inspection, not because of a consumer complaint.

The leading cause of consumer complaints comes from finding a foreign object in the product, such as hard plastic, metal, glass, or stones. And, while the chances of the object being found in more than a handful of the product packs is slim to none, the media seems to latch onto these stories, giving you a loss of reputation along with the cost of the recall.

What can you do to protect yourself?

Food items (packed or unpacked) can contain unwanted items or foreign bodies, that are either a natural part of the food item – like bones in meat – or items that have accidentally contaminated the food or that the product has accidentally ‘picked up’ before reaching the consumer. These include: Bones in meat Glass and stones from the earth picked up during harvesting or storage Metal or plastic from processing or packing machinery By investing in the latest detection technologies, food manufacturers can protect themselves from expensive product recalls and brand-damage caused by potentially dangerous foreign bodies reaching customers and today’s social media.

However, there are limitations as to what can be detected no matter what type of system you use.

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etal detectors measure a disturbance of an electromagnetic field caused by metal inside packs of food or unpacked food passing through the metal detector. The metal detector ‘learns’ the normal ‘product effect’ (the degree of disturbance of the magnetic field generated by normal production without metal contamination) and is then set to detect any product with a higher than normal disturbance in the field. Metal detectors utilize two different methods to detect both ferrous metals (magnetic materials such as iron) and nonferrous metals (such as stainless steel). Ferrous materials are magnetized by the field as they pass through the detection head, causing the magnetic field to be drawn in their direction, whereas non-ferrous metals create an eddy current which in turn produces its own magnetic field which is detected. Importantly a metal detector considers the disturbance in the magnetic field of the product as a whole.

X-ray inspection systems measure the density of the product as it passes through the inspection area. X-rays are transmitted through the product to a detector and an image is then constructed based on the amount of X-rays received through the product. This image is then analyzed to detect any anomalies that may be foreign bodies. Like metal detection this technology can be employed not only on packaged retail goods but also in the production process on bulk flow materials before final packaging.

Successful detection of any foreign body relies upon a difference in density (and hence X-ray transmission) of the foreign body when compared to the surrounding product. Unlike metal detectors, X-rays are checking each and every minute for density differentials rather than the effect of the www.meatpacking.info

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Frozen blocks of beef at Jensen Meat in San Diego go through a metal detector as a first step

product as a whole.

The main differences between metal detectors and X-ray inspection systems are then: Metal detectors can only detect metal They have a high detection sensitivity for magnetic metal while they are not so sensitive when looking for low/non-magnetic metal (i.e. aluminum or stainless steel) X-rays work on density differences therefore two principles apply; the contaminant must be denser then the product itself to be detected Anything that sinks in water (so anything with a higher density than water) can be detected (metal, stones, bone, shells, glass, ceramic, dense plastic, rubber) while anything that floats on water (as its density is lower than water) cannot be detected.

X-ray struggles therefore with wood, insects, hair, string, fabric, low dense plastics, fruit stones, or seeds.

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here the overall area of the metal contaminant is larger, metal detectors are able to detect very thin items such as aluminum foils where

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the overall area has a large effect. This principle is employed in modern metal detectable products used within the food industry that are impregnated with very fine detectable particles where the overall effect of the particles as whole is large.

However, they are less effective in the detection of smaller wire shape and spherical non-ferrous objects, in particular stainless steels which are common within processing equipment. It should be noted that to get the best performance from any metal detector, the size of the aperture should be selected to match the size of the products or packs to be inspected. The use of large aperture metal detectors on small packed products does not give an effective solution.

X-ray technology tend to be much more effective than metal detection for the detection of small dense metals. As the material density of metal is high, it is not affected by difference between ferrous and nonferrous metals, meaning you can detect the same level of stainless steel as you can detect aluminum or iron. According to Ishida, in 90% of applications, X-ray technology will be able to achieve a significant improvement on the detection of most metals, and in particular stainless steel, compared to conventional metal detectors.

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performance of metal detectors.

Top: A metal An example is that if food is sold frozen, then detector from the variation in the magnetic field is almost zero so TNA Solutions the detection sensitivity is very high, which is why meat grinding companies run frozen meat blocks through a metal detector before grinding. However, should the product thaw/defrost a little before it goes through the metal detector, this has a big impact on the magnetic field, causing a reduction in detection sensitivity. As a result, when using metal detectors, inspected products must be kept completely frozen.

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hen using non-magnetic metal packaging, such as aluminum packs and metallized film, the metal inside the packs is almost undetectable by metal detectors, because the variation in the magnetic field is greatly affected by the metallized packaging.

Because the packaging is very thin it is effectively invisible to the X-ray system and high sensitivity detection of metals within the metallized packaging is possible Metal detectors can only look at contaminants, while X-ray inspection systems, as well as providing protection against foreign bodies, can also simultaneously be used to: Detect missing or broken items in the pack 56 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

improvement can be as much as going from over 5.0mm down to just 0.6mm. However, because X-ray is looking for density at individual points it is less effective in detecting thin foils (where thickness is often well below 0.1mm) and hence the 0.1mm thickness cannot be detected.

detecting non-metal

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s the name states, metal detectors can only detect metal. X-ray inspection systems can detect many non-metal items as long as they have a higher density than water and as long as the density of the contaminant is higher than the density of the product. Examples are: stones, bone, shells, glass, ceramic, dense plastic and rubber.

This is particularly important for those manufacturers who have identified their ingredients or processes as being at risk of introducing foreign bodies. This could be stones from root vegetable ingredients, bones in protein ingredients or rubber seals from specific process equipment.

Environment X-rays are not affected by salt, water content and temperature of the product or the environment.

Metal detectors struggle where high amounts of salt and humidity are in the environment or in the pack as both impacts on the magnetic field.

This can reduce the detection sensitivity of metal detectors. External vibrations can also affect the www.meatpacking.info

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when to choose X-ray There is a requirement to find non-metal contaminants (stones, glass, ceramic, rubber, dense plastic, bones) Other quality control issues are become an issue, such as: missing/broken items, voids in products, incorrect shape, incorrect weight Supermarkets demand the use of X-ray technology. This is often the case for own label products where the supermarkets need to protect their own brand The use of X-ray technology is seen as a differentiating factor in assuring quality to attract additional retailer business Brand protection is a strong requirement for brand owners

Find voids in products Identify deformed/incorrectly shaped products Count items to detect incorrect quantity Mask items that are not supposed to be included in the inspection process (like metal ends of sausages) Estimate pack weights and compare those with target weights Fat content in meat X-ray inspection allows the location of the contamination, the void, the missing item or the incorrect shape to be pinpointed on the screen for easy rectification. This is not possible with metal detectors.

Also, the location or orientation of the contaminant inside the product or pack has for most applications no effect on the X-ray sensitivity while metal detectors are more effected by it where the least sensitive area is directly in center of the metal detector aperture.

X-rays inspection systems can generate screen images of rejected products which can be saved for auditing. In addition, all images – including those of good products – can be saved and stored to use against false claims by consumers/customers.

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When to choose a metal detector Metal is the only key contaminant in the production process which could cause product contamination.

No other contaminants have caused customer complaints in the past or will cause complaints in the future.

There is no discernible benefit of improving the level of metal detection.

No other quality control incidents are likely to occur in the future (missing items, voids, incorrect shape, incorrect weight etc.)

Customers (mainly supermarkets) do not demand the use of X-ray technology for quality assurance There are no products with metal or metallized packaging and there is no possibility of them being introduced in the future The production process is not affected by high humidity or high salt content There is a limited investment budget as metal detectors cost approx. three times less than X-ray inspection systems There is a limited maintenance budget as metal detector consumables are not expensive

the price of X-ray inspection systems. The magnetic fields used by this equipment are harmless to the body so no expensive shielding is required. The field generation and detection coils are relatively simple and therefore cost effective.

For X-ray machines, the X-ray generator, detector and shielding structure are expensive, making the price relatively high. Consumables include the X-ray tube in the X-ray generator and the detection element in the X-ray detectors (line sensors) requiring periodic replacement. For metal detectors there are no high priced consumables and maintenance is simple.

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xray products

High speed detection with less power

X-ray analysis extended for meat

Mettler Toledo has developed the X36 Series of X-ray inspection systems to enable manufacturers of food products to inspect products for contamination at high production speeds (up to 300 products per minute) on both single and multi-line operations, while reducing the energy requirements for doing so.

While standard X-ray inspection systems use powerful generators to inspect products, the X36 Series uses highly sensitive X-ray detectors that require a less powerful (20 watt) generator to produce the same results, making it the most energy-efficient X-ray system on the market, claims Mettler Toledo.

Its robust, hygienic design also makes it a reliable choice even for harsh washdown environments.

Ideal for inspecting small, medium and large products, the X36 Series systems offer outstanding detection of contaminants that include metal, glass, mineral stone, calcified bone and high-density plastic and rubber. In addition to detecting contaminants, the systems also simultaneously offer product integrity checks such as measuring gross and zoned mass, counting components and checking the integrity of seals, guaranteeing allround product quality. These capabilities result in safety and product quality benefits for both the manufacturer and its customers Today’s regulatory bodies and consumers alike are focused on product safety and on protection of the environment through reducing energy use. The X36 Series inspection systems directly address both of these concerns.

FOSS has recently launched the MeatMaster II C, a compact version of the popular MeatMaster II X-ray analyser for fat analysis and foreign object detection.

At just over 1.5 metres in length, the MeatMaster II C is nearly a metre shorter than the standard MeatMaster II and is designed to fit into production areas where space is tight. It can measure meat in boxes and trays, blocks of frozen meat and larger meat cuts such as pork bellies and hams. The new version sits alongside other versions to give meat producers a broader choice of X-ray solutions.

FOSS says the MeatMaster II AG is another dedicated version which is aimed at producers who need an accurate measurement of the fat content in ground meat as it is transported from the grinder to the mixer.

The standard MeatMaster II remains the most versatile option allowing raft of proven applications including loose meat, meat in cartons, frozen meat, frozen whole meat blocks, whole pork bellies and hams.

All versions measure fat content to within 0.8% or better and also perform foreign object detection of bone down to 5mm and metal detection to 2mm.

Installation can be completed by FOSS local experts in a few days using a supplied calibration. Software options supplied as standard include multi-language interfaces and process control software for fully automated control of batches. The IP69K MeatMaster units are robust and designed for easy cleaning and maintenance. A special cleaning rack for holding all loose items such as the conveyor belt is available for effective routine cleaning at the end of production.

The FOSS MeatMaster introduced X-ray analysis to the meat industry in 2003 and today, there are over 260 installations of MeatMasters at meat producers around the world.

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SensorX sets pace for decade

X-ray technology for meat

Marel says its SensorX set a new standard in bone detection when it was launched in 2006, making bone risk no longer an inevitable part of poultry processing. The machine’s advanced sensing technology and software development give the SensorX bone and contaminant detection capabilities that are “unprecedented” among automatic bone detection systems.

“The SensorX is much more reliable and consistent in a production environment than any manual inspection.

It detects bone fragments with great accuracy, which ultimately improves both food safety and product quality,” says Marel.

Food safety is vital in the poultry processing industry and necessary to maintain brand loyalty. The SensorX bone detection system is an efficient and cost effective way to detect and remove bones and bone fragments from poultry products. It enables poultry processors to reach a higher level of product quality than was possible before.

The SensorX handles all deboned poultry products. Over 600 systems have been installed for quality poultry processors around the world, including the biggest brands in the industry. The SensorX can be integrated with all major poultry deboning systems. It has proven itself to deliver superior bone detection, give a better process overview, minimize product handling and reduce overtrimming. Ultimately, this gives processors a safer, more valuable product.

Adding the SmartSort discharge unit after the SensorX creates a smart system that combines X-ray bone detection and grading in one compact solution. The SmartSort uses the weight information from the SensorX to gently divert products into a crate, a combo or onto a conveyor. It requires less product separation and can perform grading at line speed, eliminating any need for a speed-up belt or a separate weighing unit. The SensorX SmartSort System saves valuable space while maintaining very gentle product handling. Together, the SensorX and SmartSort deliver a safer and more valuable product from the deboning process.

Innova, Marel’s Food Processing Software, offers the most effective control of the SensorX. It ensures reliable data collection and provides yield indication with SensorX weighing, enabling full traceability throughout the production process.

Sesotec of Germany builds sophisticated metal and contaminant detectors and separators for the meat industry. The Varicon+ and Unicon+ metal detection systems with the new Intuity metal detector and the new design Raycon D product inspection system were presented last year as trade fair highlights . The spectrum of exhibited systems is now completed by the Lifquiscan metal separators for filler applications, systems that are well-proven in the meat industry.

The metal detection systems are equipped with the new Intuity metal detection coil. With multi-simultaneousfrequency technology, Intuity reaches a scanning sensitivity that is up to 50 percent higher than in other systems on the market. Since this coil operates with multiple frequencies in parallel, highest product purity is ensured also in demanding applications with a high product effect. With the newly developed Intuity control user interface, the system also offers improved ease of operation.

With the Varicon+ and Unicon+ metal detection systems, both packed products and meat that is transported in e1/ e2 boxes (fresh or frozen) can be inspected for accidental metal contaminations. The systems even detect smallest metal particles in products, thus ensure that meat and sausage products are free from metallic contaminations.

Product inspection systems operating with x-ray technology already are widely used in the meat industry.

Sesotec's Raycon D is used primarily for the final inspection of packed products and allows high-precision inline detection of a wide variety of contaminants such as magnetic and non-magnetic metals, glass, ceramics, stones, raw bones, and some types of plastics.

Raycon D combines proven Sesotec x-ray technology with hygienic design and ease of operation. With respect to hygienic design, the conveyor belt in the Raycon D system can be replaced within two minutes by only one operator.

Liquiscan metal separators are especially designed for the inspection of sausage meat or similar pasty materials.

With their compact design, these separators can be directly installed at the outlet of a vacuum filler. When a metal contamination is detected the conveying process is stopped or a pneumatic reject valve automatically separates the contaminated sausage meat from the filling process into a collecting container.

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Three new X-ray systems Inspects 2.4k blocks per hour Eagle Product Inspection’s FA3/M is a multi-application system that provides inline fat measurement and contaminant detection for fresh, chilled, frozen, and hotboned loose bulk, frozen, or tempered meat blocks and unwrapped meat in plastic crates.

The FA3/M uses Eagle’s 3rd generation refinement of Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) measurement technology based on what Eagle says is the “innovative and proven-superior single-beam geometry”. Eagle says that the FA3/M uses DEXA to discriminate between fat and lean portions of 100 percent of product throughput.

Detects ‘smallest’ metal in meat Mesutronic’s 07 MeatLine mobile metal detector allows processors to detect and separate the smallest ferrous and non-ferrous metals from ground meat products as they are pumped towards stuffers or patty formers.

Learning difficult ground meat products is easy with Mesutronic’s newest 07 controls and image phase and it allows users to achieve some of the best sensitivities in the industry. “Our uniquely designed reject mechanism will remove metal contaminates without damaging the integrity of the ground meats,” says the company. “All reject components are easily dismantled and cleaned without the use of tools and the components are secured with a loss prevention device.” It come in various sizes .

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Ishida Europe has launched a new range of X-ray inspection systems to help food manufacturers and processors comply with global safety standards and meet the demands of quality and safety -conscious retailers Their new X-ray (IX) series raises the bar in performance and usability with a global range that meets all local territory standards, claims the company. Offering customers “easy maintenance and stress-free operation”, the range includes a robust fail safe system that prevents a contaminated product reaching the consumer in the event of a power outage or breakdown, helping to minimise the potential for costly recalls.

Ciaran Murphy, quality control business manager at Ishida Europe says: “With the IX range, we have harnessed the latest advances in imaging technology to create industry-leading X-ray inspection systems that meet the specific needs of our customers across all markets and sectors, offering unrivalled detection of foreign body contaminants.”

These machines deliver the level of certainty businesses need to meet the demands of their suppliers, both now and in the future. All models offer exceptionally sensitive foreign body contaminant detection and additional benefits such as the ability to identify damaged and missing products or components, helping our customers to achieve a rapid return on investment. Quick commercial returns are also achieved by ensuring that high quality product leaves the factory gate, safeguarding reputations while securing existing business and gaining new contracts through competitive advantage.

The new range consists of three advanced X-ray systems: The IX-EN series. This series offers a reliable machine that balances sensitivity with minimal operating costs.

The IX-GN series. This series is ideal for manufacturers looking for the highest level of certainty and the best possible performance for a wide range of products. Able to detect pieces of stainless steel as small as 0.3mm in diameter, plus aluminium, glass, stones, rubber, dense plastic and shells and at high speeds, it is suitable for a variety of packed and unpacked products and includes a compact, built-in air conditioning unit.

The IX-G2 series. This series is able to provide the highest level of quality assurance to processors of complex products including poultry and meat.

www.meatpacking.info

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The only meat industry podcast

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MEAT TALK

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There is a long shelf life left in MAP

By using MAP these cuts of beef will still be fresh and on the supermarket shelf long after regular-packs will have been pulled

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It has more intrigue than Game of Thrones. Despite MAP being proved to be perfectly safe, an orchestrated smear campaign to destroy it took place 10-years ago, involving UScongressmen, lobbyist, and a duped media. In this first part series of packaging techniques, MPJ looks at MAP

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f you listen to some, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is a dead, buried, and soon to be forgotten technology that has been superseded in the supermarket shelf by vacuum packaging. You hear that it leaks; it’s expensive to use; and worse of all, customers don’t trust it.

The truth is, don’t always believe what you hear.

The vast majority of meat in the USA, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan is prepared case ready at centrally located processing plants, which could be hundreds of miles away from supermarket cooler shelves; very few stores now have their own butchers. Because in the States you’re looking at least a day or two lost in shipping alone, without MAP this would be impossible to accomplish. The industry needs MAP and consumers today accept it fully. In a recent visit to Superior Farms lamb processing center in Dixon, California, MPJ saw in the packaging section two lines; one for vacuum packaging, the other for MAP. Both Multivac lines were busy, both were packaging ground (mince) lamb.

In talking with Daniel Strickland, business development manager for LINPAC at this year’s IPPE tradeshow, Strickland said he heard, too, that customers preferred vacuum packaging. But then LINPAC commissioned a study carried out by Callosum Research and discovered that actually, the majority of customers are fairly indifferent about whether packaging is done in-store or by a third party using either vacuum or MAP. “What they care about is that the meat is fresh, it’s packed in a sanitary environment, and it’s done professionally,” says Strickland. “While you would think customers would prefer that the meat is butchered and packed on site at a supermarket, this isn’t true. Some people are concerned that it’s just ‘some kid’ in the backroom doing it all, with less attention to detail, less standardized process, and with less experience.”

For those newly arrived on Earth, MAP is the process of packaging fresh food by removing the www.meatpacking.info

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filled with gas and the package is then sealed while in this chamber.

Point Five Packaging uses a slightly different process that makes use of its Shelf Life Booster technology. By using a flow of gas through the container at a high pressure Point Five is able to seal a package then with a very low oxygen content.

In addition to a longer shelf life, using MAP can also lead to other benefits, including an overall improved quality with a fresher taste and smell, better color, wider distribution for food companies, and higher profits.

According to a study on consumer buying behavior funded by the US Beef Checkoff, when standing in front of a supermarket meat counter, consumers go through a series of thoughts.

These start with a problem (what’s for dinner?); information search (how am I going to cook it); evaluate alternatives (is it fresh and affordable), to purchase decision (I’ll buy this). No where does packaging factor into this except for presenting the meat as fresh. In other studies, the order is: recognition of the cut; price; fresh appearance; and last, sell by date. Again, not a nod to packaging except if it’s recyclable or not and that’s mostly in the EU.

the MAP War

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oxygen content inside the package to improve the food’s shelf life. Chilled raw red meat packed with air can last for two to four days; this easily doubles with MAP. White chicken meat can go from four to seven days, to 16 to 21. Sausage, which is good for only two to four days if packed in air, can stay fresh a staggering two to five weeks. Gases used include carbon dioxide, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and oddly enough, oxygen – but used in different concentrations from what we normally breath.

Traditionally, there are two types of modified atmosphere packaging. One process uses a vacuum gas system that extracts all the air from the package and then adds the desired gas mixture back in. The other way is a gas flush process, which has the food package pass through a large chamber 64 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

o, why is there the belief that consumers are suspicious about MAP? You have to go back to 2002 for the answer to that which is when the US Food & Drug Agency (FDA) allowed the use of carbon monoxide (CO) in meat packaging. Other gases and combinations of gases have and are used, but one advantage of CO is that its nitrite keeps meat looking fresh. Because the FDA does not consider nitrite to impart color to meat and thus is not a color additive or ingredient, the FDA declared CO as being GRAS – generally recognized as safe, or in other words, use at will.

Kalsec, Inc, of Kalamazoo, Michigan – a company whose trade mark slogan is: “We make your product look better, taste better and last longer…naturally” – launched an all-out war against the use of carbon monoxide in case-ready meats, and included in its forces a lobbying group, congressmen, and the media.

In describing the battle, the conservative Washington Examiner stated on November 24, 2007: “Federal regulation of food, often portrayed as government efforts to protect consumers from unscrupulous industry, has shown itself this month to be a club by which one business can crush its competitors.

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lobbied his former Capitol Hill colleagues and the Food and Drug Administration to outlaw a competing product – carbon monoxide in meat packaging.

“In the end, the Michigan firm, Kalsec, won a partial victory when a powerful lawmaker – to whose campaigns the firm’s founder had contributed – coaxed a major grocery store into foreswearing meat packaged in carbon monoxide, despite government findings that CO poses no health threats.”

Kalsec claimed on a website that it had created for the attack against MAP (www.co-meat.com), “the use of carbon monoxide in fresh meat causes a chemical reaction that creates a substance that makes the meat look red and fresh beyond the time it is safe to eat. Because consumers use appearance as the principal indicator of freshness, this is a serious issue of deception and food safety.”

Not mentioned on the website is that for years, chub-packed ground beef and turkey has been for sale, yet there were no consumer complaints about this being a case of deception of not being able to see the product. A view could be held, however, that launching a website without stating anywhere on it who owns it and why there could be a conflict of interest, is indeed a case of deception. For, oddly enough, Kalsec makes a product from rosemary, Herbalox, which does the same thing, extending the color life of red meat, although at a higher cost of CO. The same month Kalsec applied for a patent on Herbalox, it also filled a citizen petition with the FDA to prohibit the use of CO in meat packing.

During its heyday, the website provided journalist with an easy way to get the facts – abet, very slanted facts. The media ate it up, with US national and local newspapers and television stations reporting on the story. In going through past stories in papers such as the Washington Post, USA Today, and others, there was very little attempt to get a balanced view. But, however wildly successful its media campaign was, Kalsec luck did not hold with its petition. The law office of Hogan & Hartson, which represented Precept Foods in its use of CO, described Kalsec’s 130-page petition docket as “repetitive, irrelevant, misleading, or simply incorrect”. The FDA agreed and the petition was denied. Kalsec though refused to accept defeat graciously and the website still stands. It remains a source of misinformation about CO and MAP, that you can still find cited today.

'musselling' in

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negative perception at the meat counter.

Because many cuts of meat are considered better if aged, in many countries there is not a requirement in shoppers’ minds for immediate freshness except for something like ground beef or all cuts of poultry. However, It’s completely different for seafood, with no fish or shellfish seen being better if aged except in Iceland and Vietnam.

While shoppers rely on the color of beef as to its freshness, seldom looking at the sale-by-date, with packaged seafood it is a completely different story and few put fish into their shopping basket without first looking at the date.

Although shellfish such as mussels have a shelf life of 12 to 17 days in a chilled MAP pack, consumers have in their minds that seafood goes off after three days no matter how many days it’s actually good for.

With this in mind, at the US National Institute for Microbial Forensics and Food & Agriculture Biosecurity, Oklahoma State University, a series of botulism challenge studies were performed to determine the possibility of the production of botulinum toxin in mussels held in a high oxygen MAP condition.

Inoculated mussel packages were stored at normal (4°C) and abusive (12°C) temperatures for 21 and 13 days, respectively, which were beyond the packaged mussels' intended shelf life. Microbiological and chemical analyses were conducted at predetermined intervals (a total of five sampling times at each temperature), including total aerobic plate counts, C. botulinum counts, lactic acid bacterial counts, package headspace gas composition, pH of packaging buffer and mussel meat, and botulinum toxin assays of packaging buffer and mussel meat. Results revealed that C. botulinum inoculated in fresh mussels packed under MAP packaging did not produce toxin, even March~April 2017 | Meat Packing Journal | 65

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proposed that the MAP method can improve beef quality characteristics of low-grade beef during cold storage. However, the beneficial effects did not necessarily outweigh the cost increase to for MAP. In small to medium size operations this is generally true. Vacuum packaging systems have dropped in costs so much that now many households use it, something which will never happen with MAP. But, in larger operations, there is no reason why MAP cannot be just as cost effective as vacuum or even cheaper to use.

need for long life

at an abusive storage temperature and when held beyond their shelf life. No evidence was found that packaging buffers or gas composition influenced the lack of botulinum toxin production in packed mussels.

Today seafood is seen as one of MAP’s major success stories with consumers now accepting it as preferred packaging for fish and shellfish.

meat test

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ests using beef, pork, and chicken have also been done at various research departments proving the validity of MAP. However, at the Department of Bioresources and Food Science at Korea’s Konkuk University, a specific study was made comparing the effects of MAP and vacuum packaging on quality characteristics of low-grade beef during cold storage.

Eighteen cattle (30 months old) with a mean weight of 650kg were obtained from a local farmer.

In Korea, like elsewhere, beef quality is determined by the amount of marbling present; in these cows it was low. Samples of beef were divided into a control group (stored in a Ziplock plastic bag), MAP, and vacuum packaging. All three groups were then stored at 4°C for 21 days.

The researchers found that the water holding capacity was significantly lower in the vacuum packaging, as opposed to the control or MAP after 14 days of storage. This, they figured, was due to the squeezing of the meat during the the vacuum packaging. Total bacterial counts were lower in the vacuum and MAP than in the Ziplock bag. In addition, sensory evaluation, tenderness, and overall acceptability were significantly higher in both the vacuum and MAP than the control group, At the conclusion of the study, the research team 66 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

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hroughout the developed world food waste is seen aa big problem. The European Commission estimates that each year citizens in the EU throw out 100 million metric tons of food; that’s around 270lbs per person.

Danish MAP producer Dansensor recently conducted a survey among consumers about their food buying habits to explore this issue among others. The results show that if food goes off before its use-by date, this isn’t only a nuisance – and costly – for the consumer, but could also badly impact on the manufacturer.

More than two-thirds of the people in the survey said that they check the expiry date on a product before they buy it. This contrasts with only around a third who check the ingredient list. “This suggests that people are very aware of the use-by date, and take it into account when choosing their food products,” says Dansensor’s Morten Torngaard.

Having said that, more than three-quarters of the participants said that they had bought a food product that had gone bad before the use-by date.

Dansensor thought then that this would bring a deluge of complaints to the retailer or produce.

However, in almost all the cases the consumer just threw the product out without notifying the store.

Still, it did lead to consumers no longer buying that food brand.

“The problem here for manufacturers is that if consumers do not complain about a product but stop buying that particular brand, the manufacturer will lose sales but will not be alerted to the fact that there is a packaging problem,” says Morten.

“The lesson here is for food manufacturers to make sure that they have robust quality assurance procedures in place before, so that they can be certain of the quality of the product before it leaves the factory gates,” says Morten. “This is a major step in protecting the brand, and also in reducing the amount of food waste.”

MAP can be a major factor in bringing about both of these benefits. www.meatpacking.info

©

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MAP packs for high poultry profits While the rest of Europe was napping, Poland worked on and is now Europe's largest poultry producer with some state-of-art plants. However, it doesn't matter how modern your plant is if you can't ship with a decent sale-by-date. With assistance from MULTIVAC, we look at how one Polish plant is meeting this challenge

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olish company SuperDrob has seen its profits rise after it started packing fresh poultry products in vacuum and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) packs. What it is found that whole chickens are best packed in vacuum, while MAP trays work best for chicken pieces.

Around 2,000 employees at SuperDrob S.A. are involved in the slaughter, butchering, and packing of chicken and turkey for the European and Chinese markets. The company, which has its headquarters in Karczew south of Warsaw, has three production sites and processes around 60,000 tons of poultry per year. A further production site is currently being built.

The most important ingredients for the success of the company are first-class Polish reared poultry and carefully prepared spice mixtures, says SuperDrob. Polish consumers, who consume around 50 percent of the total production, appreciate the high quality and freshness of the products.

SuperDrob S.A. is conscious of the fact, that continuous product development is one of the most important success factors in the food industry.

“We are constantly investing in the further development of our products. It is only with outstanding quality, the longest possible shelf life and contemporary presentation of our products, that we can permanently bind our customers to our brand and win new purchasers,” says Tadeusz Baranowski, vice president of the management board, who is responsible for operations at the company.

In order to achieve this, SuperDrob S.A. decided

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to replace the PS trays and vacuum packs, which had been used up to then for fresh poultry pieces, with a more attractive type of pack.

“It quickly became clear to us MULTIVAC was the ideal partner for us in our search to implement a new packaging concept,” says Baranowski. “The company is well known for its comprehensive advice and good service, and it is recognized everywhere as being very reliable. In view of its recognized technical expertise and large range of machines, there was no doubt MULTIVAC would be able to offer us a suitable solution for our requirements.” The decision was made in favour of FormShrink packs for whole chickens and MAP trays for the portioned poultry pieces.

Looking good in MAP A challenging task for SuperDrob S.A. was the search for a solution for packing poultry pieces.

“We have various pack sizes in our range, from one-person households to large families, allowing everyone to find a suitable portion in our product range,” explains Tadeusz Baranowski. “Of course the fill quantity within a portion size must not vary, ie, packs with three fillets for example must always weigh 500 grams.” The packaging solution also had to be able to run the 17 different existing pack shapes and sizes without any problems. It was also important for the poultry producer, that the trays used had to be available in various colours and could be printed very well.

The poultry pieces are now packed on T 700 and T 800 traysealers. The T 700 enables trays to be packed at a high throughput, and it can also be integrated into very compact packaging lines.

The T 800 offers an even greater level of efficiency.

“Output capability is very important for us given

www.meatpacking.info

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the growing demand for our products. The T 800 here has a throughput of 66 packs per minute,” says Baranowski.

Common to both models are the systematic MULTIVAC Hygienic Design for optimum ease of cleaning, the flexibility provided by quick format change, and easy and ergonomic operation via the touch display with the graphic HMI 2.0 user interface. Since SuperDrob S.A. produce MAP packs on the T 700 and T 800, both machines are equipped with a gas flushing system. In order to keep the operating costs as low as possible, the lifting units, transport systems and film trim winders of the high-output traysealers are operated by energy-efficient electric motors.

Contour packs for whole Since 2014 SuperDrob S.A. has been packing fresh roast chicken on a R 255 thermoforming packaging machine, designed for producing FormShrink packs. “Each product is provided with individually customised packaging, regardless of its size and shape,” says Baranowski. “Since the packaging is also clear and transparent, the roast chicken looks particularly fresh. And the meat in the pack can be kept two to three days longer than in the previously used packs.”

www.meatpacking.info

Special thermoforming packaging machines, developed with a wide range of formats specifically for the FormShrink packaging procedure, are used in conjunction with special FormShrink films.

Thanks to the shrinkage of the film, tailored contour packs are produced, which enclose the products tightly.

Baranowski says he is extremely satisfied with MULTIVAC’s professional advice and with the trouble-free implementation of the project on schedule, as well as with the high level of machine efficiency in daily operation. “In our sector one has to go with the times and constantly improve,” he says summarizing the challenges of the food market. “At the same time, safety and reliability in our processes are essential. MULTIVAC has proved, that it can offer both.”

Thanks to the new packaging solutions, SuperDrob S.A. has not only been able to optimise its processes and produce more attractive packs, but also to increase the sales figures. “The food products are better protected all round in the new packs, and they also look more appetising,” says Baranowski. “Since the MAP packs with extended shelf life were introduced, we have been recording a continuous increase in sales.”

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MAP products

Precise headspace gas analyzer

New leak detector to minimize spoilage

CheckMate 3 is a headspace gas analyzer for precision quality control measurements for Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) applications.

For packaged products with a quality brand, the key to meeting consumers’ expectations is consistency – and this means reliable testing. This can be a challenge for high-volume MAP processes, which is why the CheckMate 3 analyzer has been designed to provide the highest levels of quality control for gas composition in a gas-flushed package – fast and cost-effectively and with emphasis on ‘user friendliness’.

Made by Dansensor, one of the world’s leading MAP experts, the CheckMate analysis system is rapid and efficient, marrying together sensitive gas analysis with automatic data logging. The machine is simple to use and the operator can tell at a glance if the gas mixture within a package is of the correct composition. The sensor is able to measure either oxygen alone, or oxygen and carbon dioxide. The analyzer requires only a small volume of gas and works rapidly, making it suitable for high-volume production lines. In-built ‘intelligence’ will inform the operator of any errors such as blocked filters or a missing measuring hose. A bar code reader can be used to set the analyzer’s operating parameters, and the machine is a highly robust product, capable of making 400 tests an hour.

CheckMate 3 has a large, easy-to-read 5” color touchscreen display. Essential data on each package tested can be stored in the unit itself or transferred either to dedicated CheckMate 3 software or to third party software, which provides a straightforward, accurate and reliable traceability system. And because different products have different testing needs, CheckMate 3 can be adapted to virtually any quality control system.

Ishida Europe has launched a new leak detector to help food manufacturers minimize spoilage in pre-packed retail products.

Tray leaks are a leading cause of contamination and of returns from retailers, which not only can dig into your profits but also hurt your reputation.

Designed for use with a wide variety of foods including fresh, cooked and cured meat, poultry, seafood, fruit, vegetables, cheese and ready meals, the Ishida AirScan uses advanced laser technology to identify leaks of CO2 from holes as small as 0.3mm in sealed modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) packs at speeds of up to 180 packs per minute. It has been designed to be easily integrated into existing production lines.

The new Ishida AirScan offers fast, 100% reliable and completely non-destructive identification of leaks of C02 and has been designed to be highly effective in fast moving production environments so that maximum quality can be achieved without compromising on high throughput speeds and minimum packing time.

By maintaining the optimum gas fill for each pack, the leak detector provides consistent product quality, and allows production problems to be identified and rectified quickly. It also reduces the amount of packaging that has to be scrapped, while the non-destructive testing process ensures that product can be re-packed.

The Ishida AirScan is part of Ishida Europe’s quality control range, which also includes X-ray inspection systems, checkweighers, weigh-price-labelers, seal testers and vision systems.

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www.meatpacking.info

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No need to laminate tray

Pumps needed for flushing

LINPAC’s Rfresh Elite is a super lightweight monomaterial tray for meat and poultry. The rPET pack uses a unique, patented sealant on the flange of the tray to create a secure seal with the lidding film. This removes the need for the tray to be laminated with a PE base film, the conventional process in the industry.

The company says that its sealing system, which is food contact approved, can be removed in the hot wash processes typically employed by PET recycling companies, meaning a recycled Elite tray will yield 100 per cent crystal clear rPET at the end of its service life.

“This is Ideal for those looking for a highly sustainable solution with outstanding functionality," says LINPAC.

MAP packs are produced by evacuation and gas flushing, says international pump manufacturer Leybold. Typical pumping system often uses a single stage rotary vane pumps – like Leybold’s Sogevac SV40 – or dry screw pumps in combination with Roots blowers. In case of oxygen reinjection, typically used for red meat packaging to enhances the red color, specific vacuum pumps, free of hydrocarbons, with inert oil, and oxygen compatible seals might be required.

MAP bulk packaging requires the use of ‘Snorkle Machines’ or ‘Vacuum Probe Machines’, these machines allow for packaging of multiple pouches simultaneously, or larger bulk pouches of food in a modified atmosphere.

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LINPAC | Wakefield Road | Featherstone | West Yorkshire | WF7 5DE t: +44 1977 692400 | e: info@linpac.com

www.meatpacking.info

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Can a new Big Mac turn the tide on mcdonald's performance?

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truggling McDonald’s believes it will shake things up this year with two new sizes of its Big Mac sandwich, its iconic burger which hasn’t been touched for 50-years, except for a shortlived failed attempt selling it in a wrap instead of a bun.

McDonald’s will offer a Mac Jr, a single-layer Big Mac that it says is easier to eat on the go – requiring only one hand to eat – as well as a Grand Mac, a bigger Big Mac with two all-beef patties weighing a third of a pound. The new sizes are designed to entice customers who might want more, or less, Big Mac. McDonald’s said after its trial is completed, a national rollout will take place later this year.

The Big Mac, wrote a top McDonald’s franchisee in a memo to fellow operators in July last year, “has gotten less relevant.” This is the problem facing the world’s largest hamburger maker – its burgers

aren’t good enough, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Just one in five Millennials, the fast-food industry’s core customer, has tried the flagship product, the memo said. The number of hamburgers sold at McDonald’s US restaurants has been flat for the past few years, and was growing only at a 1% to 2% annual rate before that, according to former high-ranking McDonald’s executives.

“We have to nail it,” McDonald’s USA President Mike Andres said in a recent interview. “How do we deliver the best burger at the speed of McDonald’s and, ultimately, at the value you’d expect from McDonald’s? That’s what we’re working towards.”

From its launch in 1967, the Big Mac set the standard. After a very successful ad campaign in 1974, US school kids would all try to repeat the jingle “two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles,

72 | Meat Packing Journal | March~April 2017

onions – on a sesame seed bun” as fast as possible. However, for at least the last decade the Big Mac has seemed dated.

Some industry experts believe that while McDonald’s is in the business to sell food quickly, it responds slowly to industry trends and customer demands. For example, it added Angus burgers and sandwiches made with Sriracha sauce long after those ingredients were popular.

“Their philosophy has been to be more of a follower than a leader,” said David Tarantino, a restaurant analyst at R.W. Baird & Co. “In the past the organization had a lot of layers of management and decision making that may have impeded the speed at which they could have implemented new ideas.”

With so many other burger chains doing it better, shareholders are all watching to see if the new Big Macs will win back customers. www.meatpacking.info

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Tijuana seminar for US beef

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rapping up a series of 2016 US beef cutting and cooking seminars in key Mexican markets, US Meat Export Federation conducted one in Tijuana, Baja California, for clients of La Canasta, a major US beef importer.

Funded by the Beef Checkoff Program, the seminar offered participants an opportunity to learn preparation techniques for US beef

top sirloin, brisket and inside and outside skirt – along with instructions on how to get quality cuts from the top sirloin.

“The strategy was to demonstrate the cuts they sell to their customers in Tijuana and to show them how to maximize profits by adding value, increasing the number of cuts and decreasing waste,” explained Lorenzo Elizalde, USMEF trade

Jack links launches breakfast jerky

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Product Guide and Company Overview

ack Link’s is launching two new jerky products for breakfast snacking that are scheduled to make their retail debut this March, the company announced.

The new Jack Link’s A.M. products include Applewood bacon jerky, maple bacon jerky, original breakfast sausage and hot-and-spicy breakfast sausage. While they represent the company’s first expansion into the breakfast protein snacks, other companies have been producing products such as bacon jerky for sometime. www.meatpacking.info

In addition, Jack Link’s – noted by some in the meat snack industry more for volume-produced than quality of product – is hoping to counter this by introducing four flavors of “Extra Tender” beef jerky in hardwood smoked, black peppercorn, sweet-and-spicy and teriyaki flavors. It is also offering a premium jerky line, Lorissa’s Kitchen, that is made with “responsibly raised pork, 100-percent grass-fed beef or chicken raised without antibiotics” in such flavors as ginger teriyaki, Korean barbecue, sweet chili, and Szechuan peppercorn.

manager in Mexico.

“Another objective was to share information about alternatives – high-quality cuts at surprisingly affordable prices. The idea was to show participants that there are other alternative beef cuts that are not very common in the market, but which could be of interest to their customers.”

Losing appetite for restaurants

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S restaurant industtrytraffic will remain stalled in 2017 in much the same manner it did in 2016, reports The NPD Group, a leading global information company. The new year will bring little to no traffic growth for the total US foodservice market.

Quick service restaurants (QSRs), however, will increase visits by an estimated 1 percent, faring better than the flat growth achieved in 2016.

The modest gain for QSRs will offset the anticipated 2 percent decline for full service restaurants, resulting in no-growth traffic for the industry overall, according to NPD Group’s daily tracking of US consumers’ use restaurants and other foodservice outlets.

“Restaurant operators are in a position to alter the current forecast, but will need to differentiate themselves from the competition,” said Bonnie Riggs, NPD Group’s restaurant industry analyst. “In the year ahead, it will be critical for them to stay relevant in consumers’ minds, focusing on innovative products, unique promotions, competitive pricing, stating the benefits of eating at restaurants vs. home, and delivering an enjoyable experience.”

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Big food battles for its share

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ensing a change in the wind, Tyson Foods, Campbell Soup Co and Hershey’s are launching their own versions of meal-kits, or known as dinner-ina-box.

The big three are working with online couriers to challenge meal-kit companies that ship parcels of ingredients and recipes to consumers looking for an easier way to cook stir-fry or Mexican at home.

That said, the market they hope to enter is not only tough – with numerous US meal-delivery firms

having closed or restructured last year – but the market isn’t that large. According to NPD Group, only a paltry 3 percent of US customers have tried a meal kit which sell on average for $10.00, about six bucks more than what many consumers pay for dinner ingredients bought at a supermarket.

The trend started in Berlin with HelloFresh, which is now in six European countries, the USA, and Australia. In the USA alone now are around 150 companies – including some restaurants – chasing after

a $1.5 billion market. Customers choose from an ever-changing menu and then have the pre-measured ingredients delivered to their door.

“Meal kits are a tactic in the strategy needed to combat the bigger threat of e-commerce and online grocery,” said Diana Sheehan, of Kantar Retail.

Tyson Foods launched kits through Amazon Fresh in September, working its chicken and beef into tacos, stews and roasts. Tyson sells a separate line at supermarkets.

Burger chain’s new Asian move

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ahlburgers, the burger restaurant brand founded by Chef Paul Wahlberg and celebrity brothers Mark and Donnie, has announced it will expand to Asia in 2017 through a joint venture with Cachet Hospitality Group (CHG). The first three restaurants are slated to open in Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Shanghai China.

“We’re excited about this wonderful opportunity to grow in Asia,” said Wahlburgers CEO Rick Vanzura. “Having a savvy, financially strong partner is essential and we have a great partner in the Cachet Hospi-

tality Group, which will bring an unprecedented level of service and strength to the Wahlburgers brand.”

The Cachet Hospitality Group (CHG), an international hospitality branding and management company based in Hong Kong, is well known in the region. According to CEO Alexander Mirza, “This is an excellent time to enter the Asia market, especially China, where dramatic growth in US-style destination malls with increasing space committed to restaurants as mall owners see both traffic and income rise dramatically.

“This combines perfectly with the explosive popularity of international

restaurant brands in China’s malls and airports, opening the door to tremendous opportunity for Wahlburgers and our Asia Pacific joint venture,” said Mirza.

According to the joint venture, the objective of this expansion is to open 100 restaurants in China and the surrounding region over the next five years. With two strategic partnerships in place, Wahlburgers Asia Pacific is in a strong position to achieve its goal of opening in a variety of locations, including shopping centers, theme parks, residential and office developments and a hotel and resort.

welsh lamb after german slice

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eat Promtion wales (HCC) wants a larger slice of Germany's massive food service industry and to raise awareness of its premium product among consumers.

The food service market is booming in Germany. In 2015 alone, food service sales grew by 3.5 percent and reached €73.6 billion.

The country's meat consumption is comparatively high, at 60kg per head, making the meat and sausage

products sector the largest segment in Germany's food industry.

Partly because of Germans increasing tendency to eat in restaurants, cafes, and snack bars, it is the world's third largest importer of agricultural and food products.

"The food sector in Germany is enormous, and represents a major opportunity for Welsh lamb in particular," said Alex James, HCC Export Market Development Executive.

"There is a demand for a variety

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of high-qualtiy meat. Welsh lamb, with its sought after PGI [Protected Geographical Indication] status, which gives consumers confidence in its traceability back to the farm and the Welsh landscape, is finding its way into more restaurants, and into suppliers' listings."

A problem Welsh lamb will have, however, is that the meat of choice for Germans is pork followed by beef. Lamb is seldom on the German consumer's radar. www.meatpacking.info

Smart concept.

THERMOFORMING PACK AG I N G

Hall 5 - Booth C 04

Hajek Maschinenbau GmbH Grafenweg 21 6971 Hard, Austria sales@hajek-engineering.at A company of GPS Reisacher GmbH & Co. KG

www.hajek-engineering.at

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product launches

Woody breast detector

Handles all web combos

Using its QVision analyzer technology, TOMRA Sorting Food is now able to detect chicken woody breast, a hard or ‘woody’ texture found in some chicken breast muscles.

The condition is not harmful to humans, but it makes the chicken breast unpleasant to eat, giving it a tough and chewy character.

The detector uses multispectral lights to allow high speed analysis of the chicken fillets. The software allows the QVision to accurately grade chicken fillets into multiple grades. Previously, processors had to do a ‘thumb check’ and manually review each chicken fillet.

GEA PowerPak’s thermoformer is equipped to run all commercially available web combinations for thermoforming operations, including materials such as aluminum foil. The maximum index of 800mm can be utilized with all webs, heating and forming system combinations. With a choice of heating and forming systems, various cross cutting and longitudinal cutting devices and an optional machine extension for a top and bottom web labeler, the GEA PowerPak lends itself to the production of widely used vacuum and MAP pack styles.

The modular frame adapts to changing requirements in future.

Kalle’s ‘natural’ casings

Fast printer from TSC

Products designed to satisfy critical consumers are becoming increasingly important, according to a study by Innova Market Insights: Nearly 80 percent of consumers want to see the shortest possible list of ingredients and they want these ingredients to be things that they already know from daily experiences. Kalle is serving this market segment with its Clean-label casings: They contain no preservatives, artificial coloring and allergens. They can also add value in the production process by transferring smoke, color, and flavoring directly to the sausage.

State-of-the-art TSC’s new TE200 thermal transfer printer series are ideal for a wide variety of applications in warehousing and manufacturing, retail, logistics, and offices. Both models, TE200 and TE300, are competitive, attractively priced, durable, versatile and easy-to-use.

TE200 features a print resolution of 203 dpi at an industry best 6 ips, TE300 with 300 dpi at 5 ips for printing small fonts, barcodes or graphics. They are able to print high quality labels all day long, producing thousands of clear, accurate barcode and identification labels per day.

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www.meatpacking.info

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Simple skinning

New 12-liter bucket

The CSK-2 H-D Simple Skinner from Prime is the next generation of the industry's most successful skinner. In addition to Prime's patented skinning system, the H-D Simple Skinner features precisely adjustable air cylinders that allow the upper belt to follow product contours for optimal skinning of whole or split breasts, and bone-in legs and thighs.

Designed for ease of use, the H-D Simple Skinner can be fully opened for sanitation in 15 seconds, and a quickchange skinning assembly cartridge that can be swapped in under 15 minutes. Additionally, the pinch block is automatically air-adjusted to prevent over-tightening, extending service life.

Launched in January 2017, the new 12-liter bucket is a welcome update to Danish Vikan’s award-winning bucket range, and includes a number of features to improve hygiene and usability, and simplify storage and handling.

The Vikan 12L bucket is stackable to save storage space and has a snap-on lid to improve security and safety.

Easy-to-read measures include liter, UK and US gallon marks.

Debra Smith, Vikan’s global hygiene specialist, says: “Buckets are one of the most commonly used pieces of equipment when it comes to ingredients handling and cleaning in the food and beverage industry.”

LUNG GUN & POULTRY VENT CUTTER Model LKE- 1

Model VC

60 - 80 psi - Air 15 inches H.g. - Vacuum Air and vacuum operated

• Ultra light - less than 2 lbs, (0.9 kg) and can be balancer hung, if desired.

• Full vacuum immediately available for the next bird - no time lag.

• Easy cleaning - use vacuum to suck fluid through tool. Spray externally during clean-up.

• Back-up for auto venter for broiler processing.

• Maintains line speed and no missed vents.

• Roaster processing, one tool can

process up to 45 birds per minute.

• Reduces fecal contamination.

• Increases yield over knife or scissor venting.

• Reduces operator hand and arm fatigue.

Jarvis Products Corporation

View these tools on our website!

www.meatpacking.info

33 Anderson Road, Middletown CT. 06457 Telephone (860) 347-7271; Fax (860) 347-9905 E-mail: sales@jarvisproducts.com; Website: www.jarvisproducts.com

March~April 2017 | Meat Packing Journal | 77

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Q& Junior urias A

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unior Urias is the real deal.

Founder, owner, and operator of Up in Smoke BBQ in Midland, Texas, Junior has been barbecuing since he was 12. He entered the amateur barbecue circuit in 2005 and went professional three years later. Now, at 42 he competes across the USA with his signature barbecue and has been featured on TV barbecue shows and competitions, winning numerous awards such as the hotly contested BBQ Pitmasters Texas Championship. And, just in case he gets a bit bored, he has a barbecue catering business and owns and operates ‘Junior’s Rub for Grub’. MPJ caught up with Junior – it wasn’t easy.

At MPJ we are unabashed barbeque lovers and see Liquid Smoke more of an aftershave than a flavoring. Why do almost all of us crave barbeque?

Because there is truth in the smoke. You can only create good barbeque by giving it the time and attention needed.

There is Texan style, Carolina, Kansas City, Memphis style of barbecue along with dozens of local variations. What’s the difference in styles?

There are a lot of styles now which go beyond the four above mentioned that has stapled barbecue. I use a little of all four to make the unique barbecue that I have learned over the years.

How did you get started in barbecuing?

I got started when I was 12 years old. My dad used to work in camps and feed all the ranchers over coal fires, mortar smoke houses, and Dutch oven.

There were around 10-12 men at these camps and I would learn techniques from each one.

Can anyone call themselves a pitmaster?

Sure!! But a steak can never be confused for a brisket….

You started competing in 2005 and went professional in 2008. What exactly is a pro barbecuer?

A pro is someone who starts making a living cooking every weekend for prize money, gains sponsors to continue to cook every weekend, and puts a lot of determination into this lifestyle.

Are the competitions pretty cut-throat?

Yes, they can sometimes be brutal on your overall scoring.

You were picked to be on American reality show BBQ Pitmasters, how did this come about?

Over several years of continued videos and auditions, I finally had a breakthrough and was nominated.

In what order do you rank importance: quality of meat; the smoker/equipment; wood; rub; sauce; and skill of barbecuer?

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www.meatpacking.info

calvin scmalz

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That's a tough question! To me it all matters in competition and also in my barbecue establishment.

I would not put one over the other, they are all important to me.

Does the type of wood really matter?

Yes, some woods are paired better with meats.

Example: brisket with pecan, hickory, mesquite, cherry, and oak. Pork goes with cherry, pecan, peach, maple, and orange.

A Texan friend says the test of good barbecue is that the meat has to be able to stand on its own without any sauce. Would you agree?

Absolutely! Good barbecue requires no sauce.

But, a good sauce can compliment and give you a different experience to give you options in your taste buds. I have a kickass sauce..

Brisket, pork, or chicken, which one do you prefer barbequing?

Brisket is my favorite, although I have gotten really good with whole hogs.

we use to cook sides of beef, bison, and lambs at the camps. Yes, brisket is easy.

Besides barbecuing, you also sell rubs and sauces, and teach courses. How popular are the courses?

The courses are super popular! I have been to Sweden to host a barbecue class and now I’m looking into going to Australia. We will have classes at my new restaurant as well as live-fire demonstrations and every day barbecuing.

US-style barbecue is spreading around the world with some unlikely places now selling barbecue.

People ask us: is this something you can learn from a book or do you need to look over someone’s shoulders?

I feel that barbecue is a technique which can only be learned from doing and watching others. Yes, you can learn some things from books but there is no better way of learning than being right there in the action.

Is brisket the hardest to get right?

Up in Smoke, besides being the name of your company, is the name of a Cheech & Chong stoner movie. Were you influenced in anyway by the movie?

Brisket to me is the easiest! You have to remember

Yes, it's all a blue haze we call Up In Smoke…

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March~April 2017 | Meat Packing Journal | 79

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March~April 2017 | Meat Packing Journal | 81

C O n tac t s

Velo Mitrovich

Rhian Owen

Editorial

Sales

Velo Mitrovich

Jim Robertson

Editor +44 1442 780 591 velo@meatpacking.info

James Chappelow

Technical Editor james@meatpacking.info

Jack Young

Head of Sales +44 1442 780 593 jim@rebymedia.com

Josh Henderson

Account manager +44 1442 780 594 josh@rebymedia.com

Jim Robertson

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Reby House

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Meat Packing Journal ISSN 2054-4677 is published bimonthly by Reby Media, 42 Crouchfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1PA. Subscription records are maintained at Reby Media, 42 Crouchfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP1 1PA. Meat Packing Journal and its Editorial Board accept no responsibility for the accuracy of statements or opinion given within the Journal that is not the expressly designated opinion of the Journal or its Editorial Board. Those opinions expressed in areas other than editorial comment may not be taken as being the opinion of the Journal or its staff, and the aforementioned accept no responsibility or liability for actions that arise therefrom.

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Editorial advisory board Meat Packing Journal is advised and guided by an editorial advisory board formed of leading professionals and researchers

Jorge Ruiz Carrascal University of Copenhagen Fred W. Pohlman University of Arkansas Ian Richardson University of Bristol Graeme Rolinson Marel

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