TECH TALK
Innovations in the Meat Industry By Daphne Nuys-Hall, Meat & Poultry Ontario
I
nnovation is a term frequently used in the food manufacturing industry when discussing process improvements, automation, solutions to overcome labour challenges and even developing new products.
What is innovation? Many abattoirs and meat processing businesses contact Meat & Poultry Ontario when new government funding is released wanting to know if their project or idea fits the definition of innovation. Is it innovative to the industry or just to their business? Innovation is a process to bring new ideas, new methods or new products to an organization which when implemented lead to positive effective change. Often businesses mistakenly believe that for something to be considered innovative it has to be big and fundamentally change how the business operates. However, innovation can be about the small changes that can solve problems to improve product quality and overall productivity. There are many types of innovations your business can implement. Whichever way you look at it, the important thing to remember about innovation is
that it should increase your company or product’s value in the marketplace. Improved Use of Technology or Automation Meat processing facilities are slow to adopt robotics they can be expensive, sanitation can be difficult, and boning and trimming of meat cuts requires dexterity and finesse that can only be achieved by humans. However, as the technology improves and the costs come down, the use of robotics will become increasingly popular. However, automation doesn’t have to be big or complicated or expensive. Evaluate your current processes. Are there areas where innovative solutions could be utilized to improve production efficiencies, reduce labour or improve product quality? Once you have your list, prioritize potential innovations depending on where you think you’ll get the most bang for your buck. Narrow in on the two or three ideas you think are most worth digging into, testing, and refining. Work with staff, consultants or suppliers to test and implement the innovative idea or product. Packaging Technologies The main priority of packaging meat is the ability to deliver a fresh product to customers. In the meat industry, the packaging
High-tech meeting the highest demands Price and goods labeling system GLM-Ievo
Flexibility labeling system The GLM-Ievo intelligent labeling line, is designed for automatic weighing and labeling of prepackaged goods. Available in a variety of configurations, this modular design can be optimally constructed for products and performance requirements in the food area. With an output of up to 200 packages/minute, there are no limits in the industrial food area for today’s regulations or any other regulations in the future. www.bizerba.com
More information Learn more about our wideranging product portfolio.
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BlockTalk - Fall 2021
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