Exam 2 Flashcards
History of Meat Inspection
meat inspection is not a new concept
ancient examples include France (1162), England (1319), Germany (1385)
American Meat Inspection history
early on there was little central control of meat
the novel Jungle highlighted unsanitary conditions in Slaughter Chicago Slaughterhouses
the novel causes uproar leading to the 1906 passage of the Federal Meat Inspection Act
Upton Sinclair
wrote the novel Jungle, also a socialist
was considered a muckbreaker trying to shine a bad light on capitalism. unintentionally shined a light on how bad slaughterhouses were
Federal Meat Inspection Act
1) antemortem inspection: beef, sheep, goats, pigs, horses (mules)
2) postmortem inspection of every carcass
3) sanitary standards
4) USDA authorized to monitor and inspect
-does not include poultry since they were not raised commercially at the time. Poultry were later protected 1957 poultry products inspection act
Humane Slaughter Act
passed in 1958 revised in 1978
all animals must be stunned
religious slaughter is exempt
no poultry is included: because with poultry handling its common to shackle them upside down while alive
FSIS is responsible for inspection and enforcement
313.2 Humane Slaughter Act: Handling
handling of livestock: (a) driving of livestock from the unloading ramps to the holding pens and from the holding pens to the stunning area shall be done with a minimum of excitement and discomfort to the animals. livestock shall not be forced to move faster than a normal walking speed.
313.15 Humane Slaughter Act: captive bolt
mechanical; captive bolt: (a) Application of stunners, required effect; handling. (1) The captive bolt stunners shall be applied to the livestock in accordance with this section so as to produce immediate unconsciousness in the animals before they are shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut. The animals shall be stunned in a manner that they will be rendered unconsciousness with a minimum of excitement and discomfort
Whole Some Meat (1967) and Wholesome Poultry Products Act
aimed to make all state inspection systems at least equal to the federal inspection system
if a state can not or will not comply FSIS must take over
Amendment to the Federal Meat Inspection Act
Improvements to Livestock Handling
guidelines to improve animal welfare and handling to comply with HSA
the target audience is small and very small establishments: small plants typically do a worse job than big plants because they have less expertise
Systematic approach versus Robust Systematic Approach
-Oct 2013 FSIS compliance Guide for a Systematic Approach to the Humane Handling of Livestock
Code of Federal Regulations Title 9- Animals and Animal Products. Chapter I
parts 1-99 = Animal and PLant Health Inspection Service
Code of Federal Regulations Title 9- Animals and Animal Products. Chapter II
Parts 200-205 = grain inspection, packers and stock yards administration (packers & stockyard programs
Code of Federal Regulations Title 9- Animals and Animal Products. Chapter III
parts 300-599 = Food Safety & Inspection Service
Food Safety and Inspection Service Responsibilities (12)
1-4 Sluaghter
1)antemortem inspection
2) humane methods
3) postmortem inspection
4) product inspection
5) assurance that all plants adopt and use HACCP
6) assurance that all SSOP’s are practiced by personal
7) verification of HACCP system effectiveness (salmonella performance standards)
8) over sight of plant generic E. coli testing protocols
9)laboratory determinations & assays
10) control & restriction of condemned products
11) marketing labelling & inspection insignia
12) facilities construction & operational sanitation
1993 Jack-in-the-box outbreak
732 people infected with E. coli O157:H7 from beef patties
73 jack-in-the-box locations in CA, ID, WA,NA
4 children died and 178 others left with permanent injury including kidney and brain damage
-caused the Final RUle Pathogen Reduction and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (1996) to be passed
Final Rule Pathogen Reduction and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (1996)
plants must adopt and follow Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP’s)
plants must adopt HACCP as a system of process controls to prevent safety hazards
plants must meet pathogen Reduction Performance Standards set by USDA-FSIS for salmonella
plants must conduct tests for generic E. coli to verify that their process-control system prevents fecal contamination
-1st big change to the Federal Meat Inspection Safety Act of 1906
Hazard type by percent
of the 3 hazard types concerning foodborne illness biological (pathogens) are of the greatest concern
4% chemical hazards
2% physical hazards
94% biological hazards
Biological Foodborne Illness in US
Norovirus: has the most cases annualy
salmonella has second most
listeria monocytogenes ranked 24 but is most deadly and causes the most deaths annually
Foodborne Illness in US outcomes
48 million people get sick
128,000 are hospitalized
3,000 die annually
foodborne illnesses affect on the economy
foodborne illnesses (dr. visits, lost work days, etc.) cost $ 152 billion annually in the US
global burden of foodborne illness is 33 million disability adjusted life years (DALYs)
children under 5 years old 40% of this burden
Foodborne illness disproportianately affects
young <6 years
old> 65 years
Immuno-compromised
pregnant (listeria)
Who measures food safety
FoodNET: reports data collected to CDC, they determine where, and how many cases of foodborne illness occur from specific foods (if possible)
Zero Tolerance (adultered) Vs. Performance Standards
E. coli O157:H7/ STEC “big six” is adultered (0 tolerance) in ground beef
listeria monocytogenes-ZT RTE is adultered (0 tolerance)
Salmonella spp. has a performance standard
pathogens
a bacteria or other microorganism that can cause disease
indicator bacteria
bacteria whose presence indicates the likelihood of a pathogen
often spoilage bacteria
Standard Plate Count (SPC)
common microbial test
also referred to as “Total Viable” (TPC) or Aerobic (APC) plate counts
estimates the number of live, viable microorganisms which form colonies if plated on a nutritive solid substrate and provided with appropriate environmental conditions
“pour” or “spreading” can be used
Total Coliform Count (TCC)
common microbial test
aerobic and facultative anaerobic, fermentative gram-negative organisms found in the intestinal tract for most animals
indicator organism of fecal contamination
Escherichia coli count (ECC)
common microbial test
required to be run on a sample of all carcasses
thermotolerant coliforms indicative of fecal contamination
other common microbial tests
psychotrophic count
lactic acid bacteria count (LAB)
pathogens: often in low numbers, hard to find
air samples
yeast and mold counts
mesophilic spore count
Spoilage bacterial number
spoilage occurs at 6.0-7.0 log/CFU
How do pathogens end up on food?
meat is sterile (ish)
the lymphatic system has grown salmonella
fecal and environmental contamination are how pathogens get on food
What is an intervention
GMP: good manufacturing practice, procedures and processes used to reduce pathogens/ increase sanitary conditions
an act or product that can be used in the process of raising, slaughtering, processing, or storing meat products that can reduce microorganism contamination
why do we use interventions: 2 reasons
reduce foodborne illneses
increase shelflife (profitablity)
how do interventions work
reducing bacteria by understanding and targeting bacterial needs:
nutrients, temperature, moisture, oxygen, pH, time
pre-harvest intervention cattle
vaccinations, direct-fed microbial/probiotics, chlorate supplementation, antibiotics, bacteriophages
pre-harvest intervention insudtry practices
clean facilities, uncontaminated water, uncontaminated feed, clean trucks
in plant interventions beef slaughter
antemortem inspection,
immobilization, stunning, exsanguination, hide washing, hoof removal, hide removal, pre-evis washing/OA, bunging, evisceration, splitting,
postmortem inspection,
washing/BR/TP/OA, chilling
hide washing systems
water and sodium hydroxide mixe to release contaminants, followed by high pressure rinse and lactic acid application
expensive: favors large plants that can afford to spread high implementation costs over high slaughter volume
hook/carcass steam-vacuuming
similar to a carpet vacuum, will discolor meat by denaturing proteins
other harvest interventions
pre-evisceration washing/OA (lactic, citric, acetic)
thermal pasteurization of carcasses
organic acid/ bromine sprayin
HACCP Prerequisite programs
facilities, production equipment, control of raw materials, sanitation (SSOPs), chemical control, production and quality controls, glass control, receiving storing and distribution, traceability and recall, complaint investigations, labeling, training
Plant pre-operational sanitation (SSOPs)
1) equipment disassembly & dry pick up (often by plant personnel)
2) rinsing (from top of equipment or structures down towards the floor
3) foaming (w/ cleaner)
4) scrubbing of all contract surfaces
5) rinsing and 2nd scrubbing as needed
6 application of 1st and strongest sanitizer
7) 3rd rinse
8) application of 2nd and final sanitizer
Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures
SSOPs: mandated by PR; HACCPS; FR for all meat & poultry establishments
focus: prevent direct contamination
SSOPs: apply to and include both Pre-Operational SOPs and Operations SOPs
HACCP preliminary Tasks
1)assemble the HACCP team
2) describe the food and its distribution in writing and in detail
3) describe the intended uses & consumers w/ attention to at risk groups ‘
4) develop a flow diagram that describes the processes
5) verify the flow diagram
HACCP flow diagram
need to defer to those working on the floor: in order to know the actual process, which can also help identify any misconduct
Seven Principles of HACCP
following full implementation or written Pre Requisite Programs (GMPs, SOPs, SSOPs)
1) conduct a hazard analysis
2) identify critical control points (CCPs)
3) establish critical control limits (CLs)
4) monitor the critical control points
5) determine the appropriate corrective actions
6) establish verification procedures to ensure that the system works
7) maintain accurate record keeping
Principle #1 Conduct a Hazard Analysis
Hazard analysis: the process of collecting and evaluating the information on hazards & conditions leading to their presence to decide which are significant for food safety & therefore which should be addressed on the HACCP plan
will differ based on plant location, environment, etc.
9 CFR 417.2 Hazard Analysis Analysis & HACCP plan
(1) every official establishment shall conduct or have conducted for it, a hazard analysis to determine the food safety hazards “reasonably likely to occur” in the production processes & identify preventative measures the establishment can apply to control those hazards. the hazard analysis shall include food safety hazards that can occur before during and after entry into the establishment
Principle #1 Conduct a Hazard Analysis (Cont..)
1) at each processing step identify those hazards (threats to public health) that could be introduced, controlled, or enhanced at that step
2) for each identified physical, chemical, or biological hazard, determine whether or not the hazard is significant (reasonably likely to occur)
3) justify the decision concerning the level of significance with valid scientific evidence
4) determine those control measures available to prevent/eliminate/reduce to acceptable levels the risk that the hazard could occur
Principle #2 Determine Critical Control Points
CFR 417.1: a Critical Control Point (CCP) is a point, step, or procedure in a food process at which control can be applied & as a result a food safety hazard can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to acceptable levels
a CPP must address each potential hazard: potential hazards that need to be addressed in the HACCP plan are those that were identified during hazard analysis as being reasonably likely to cause injury or illness if not effectively controlled (via the controlled methods developed in Principle #1)
Principle #3 Establish Critical Limits
maximum/minimum control values at CPP distinguish between safe and unsafe conditions
not to be confused with operational limits: more stringent, and have a warning for potential deviation
each CPP has one more control measure that in turn may constitute one or more CL
CL may be based on factors such as time, pH, temperature, water activity, etc..
measurable thresholds that operations typically go beyond
Principle #5 Establish Corrective Actions
purpose: to prevent shipping potentially hazardous foods
CA are necessary for any deviation & should determine & correct cause of compliance, control disposition, of defective product, & result in a record of CA taken
CA can be overseen by individuals who have a complete understanding of the process, product, & HACCP plan
experts may be consulted if needed
Principle #5 Establish Corrective Actions (Cont..)
CFR 417.3 Corrective Actions: the written HACCP plan shall identify the corrective action to be followed in response to a deviation from a critical limit. The HACCP plan shall describe the corrective action to be taken & assign responsibility for taking corrective action to ensure:
1)the cause of the deviation is identified and eliminated
2) the CCP will be under control after the corrective action is taken
3) measures to prevent recurrence are established &
4) no product that is injurious to health or otherwise adultered as a result of the deviation enters commerce
Principle #6 Establish Verification Procedures
verification: activities other than monitoring which determine validity of the HACCP plan & insure that the system is operating as planned
Effective HACCP system: includes sufficient validated safeguards & requires little end product testing
instead of testing rely on frequent reviews of the plan and of records
initial validation confirms that all hazards have been identified and are controlled
subsequently validate if an unexplained failure occurs after a change in ingredients, processing, or packaging or if new hazards are recognized
verification activities: periodic comprehensive verification of HACCP by company, experts, & regulatory agencies
Principle # 7 Establish Record-Keeping Procedures
records maintained for the HACCP system
summary of HA
the HACCP plan: HACCP team and responsibilities. description of food, distribution, intended uses, and consumer. verified flow diagram. HACCP plan summary table
support documents (e.g validations, data, etc..)
records generated operation.
Yield Grade
Reflects differences in carcass composition
affected by: hot carcass weight, adjusted fat thickness, ribeye area, %KPH
YG= +(2.5Adj Fat) + (0.2KPH) - (0.32*REA) + 0.0038(HCW)
Quality Grade
reflect differences in expected cooked beef eating quality
affected by: sex class, MATURITY, MARBLING, firmness
Application of grading
application of USDA grades is VOLUNTARY, Free-For-Use service provided by the Agricultural Marketing Service
helps differentiate and market beef products
Inspection vs Grading
Inspection is required as a safety percaution
Grading is voluntary and a marketing tool
Beef Carcass Evaluation
the carcass is cut between the 12th and 13th rib the “ribeye” and graded for quality
Beef Skeletal Maturity
use of visual determination of ossification of the buttons on the vertebrae (change from cartilage to bone with age)
Physiological skeletal ossification is only marginally related to the chronological age of the live animal
Lean maturity
as cattle mature the lean color becomes darker and coarser in texture
U.S marbling scores
moderately abundant: 98% probability of positive sensory experience
slightly abundant: 99% probability of positive sensory experience
-prime
moderate: 88% probability of positive sensory experience
modest: 82% probability of positive sensory experience
-upper 2/3 choice
small: 62% probability of positive sensory experience
-choice
slight: 29% probability of positive sensory experience
trace: 15% probability of positive sensory experience
Quality Grades
the 2 biggest determinants of quality grade are marbling score and maturity
Prime
Choice
Select
Standard
Commercial
Utility
Cutter
U.S Yield Grades
1= small bonus (desirable fat to meat ratio)
2= small bonus
3= none
4=penalty
5=penalty (very fatty animal very fatty meat)
*always round down when assigning yield grade giving the animal the benefit of the doubt
U.S yield grades (%)
yield grade is a percentage of boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from the round, loin, rib, & chuck
1= >54.6%
2= 52.3%
3= 50.0 %
4= 47.7%
5= <45.4%
Augmentaion of USDA grade application
everybody quality grades (marketing) not everyone yield grades (no much benefit)
plants utilize computers to help assign carcass grades the USDA grader has the ability to override the computer
Meat Marketing
in the beginning meat packers sold the products anonymously without a brand just as meat
in recent years they have made a bold turn to start branding their meat products in order to hopefully capture more niche markets
Certified/Branded beef programs
over 50 beef G- schedules
includes “premium choice” programs and others
in order to be “certified”:
-beef products must conform to specifications
Certified Beef Specifications
GLA outlines specifications for the live animal:
-phenotype and or breed characteristics
-animal age
G- Schedule specifications for the end product
-marbling score
-physiological age
-meat attributes
Certified Angus Beef- G1
live animal specification Step 1: predominantly solid black
carcass specification Step 2: modest or higher marbling, medium or fine marbling texture, “A” maturity, 10-16 square inch ribeye area. 1050 lb hot carcass weight or less, etc..
*not too many specifications, and also not too strict to be able to sell more certified product
the brand sells more than 1 billion lbs in a fiscal year
100,000 cattle per week are certified into the heard
Typical Week in 21st-century beef packing plant
two shifts A and B
U.S cattle given their own days (both A and B shifts)
other types of beef (markets or brands) will have their own split (A or B) shifts on their own days
Story Meat
a newly emerging marketing tool that is popular but not a large part of the market
voluntary
incorporates the producer, their farm, and their livestock’s story letting consumers have a story and face to the product.
Labeling
in 2016 the AMS withdrew standards for marketing claims including:
-grass-fed claims for ruminants (no regulated definition, too hard)
-naturally raised claims for livestock
USDA FSIS supplies a list of definitions that can be legally used on labels. the goal is to “make purchasing of meat and poultry products less confusing”
Free Range or Free Roaming label
producers must demonstrate tot he agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside
Natural
a product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed.
minimal processing means the product was processed in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the product. this label must include a statement explaining the meaning of the term natural (such as “no artificial ingredients; minimally processed”)
Organic
animals for slaughter must be raised under organic management from the last third of gestation, or no later than the second day of life for poultry
producers must feed livestock agricultural feed products that are 100% organic, but they may also provide mineral and vitamin supplements
preventative management practices must be used to keep animals healthy. producer may not withhold treatment for sick or injured animals. However, animals treated with prohibited substance may not be sold as organic
ruminants must be out on pasture for entire grazing season, but for not less than 120 days. these animals must also receive at least 30% of their feed, or DMI from pasture
all organic livestock and poultry are required to have access to the outdoors year-round. Animals may only be temporarily confined due to documented environmental health considerations,
Walmart
employs 2.2 million associates around the world serves more than 36 million customers per day
operates >11,000 retail units under 71 banners in 27 countries along with e-commerce in 10 countries
for the fiscal year ending Jan 2019 Walmart increased net sales to 510 billion USD. more than anyone else with profits more than 1.8 million per hour
in 2013 Walmart donates 1.3 billion in cash & in-kind contributions around the world
if Walmart were a country it would have the 28th-largest economy
Farmers Markets
have seen a tremendous amount of growth in recent years
stimulate local economies
increase access to fresh food
preserve farmland and rural livelihoods
support healthy families and communities.
Organic food marketing
has seen an increase in recent years
the largest increase has been noticed in the production and selling of fruits and vegetables.
Meat Cutting Fabrication
Fabrication: the common term used to describe the process of transitioning whole carcasses or cuts into the desired saleable pieces
for each species and for different segments the extent of fabrication vaires
Fabrication Cutout
cutout: a term used to describe the plan of action or product list to be derived from a given carcass.
important for consumer preferences and profitability
-used to optimize individual carcass values, and fill orders
-includes different bone-in vs. boneless cuts, differences in product/carcass sizes and weights, and market drivers
differences in products/ cuts
Whole Carcass: lamb pork and veal only
Halves: animal split medially, and quarters(beef only)
Primals/Wholesale cuts: specific to species
Subprimal: most common form sold for wholesale (striploins, lamb hotel racks, etc) buy at Costco
Retail cuts: cuts that are in their smallest saleable form, bought at the supermarket, tremendous variety depending on retailer/demographic (ribeye steak, frenched rib racks)
General Beef Differences
large beef plants process >4,000 head/day
includes the fabrication of nearly 100% of all carcasses into boxed beef primal, sub-primal, variety meats, beef trimmings, ground beef
very few large plans sell sides or quarters of beef today and very few fabricate into retail cuts
involve very large disassembly lines cutting 250-300 carcasses per hour
the vast majority of boxed beef produced is in boneless form
General Pork Differences
large pork plants process >12,000 head per day
includes the fabrication of nearly 100% of all carcasses into boxed primal, sub-primal, variety meats, and processed items
very few large plants sell whole carcasses or sides and very few fabricate into retail cuts
*many do further process items in the same facility or a neighboring facility: specifically cured and smoked hams and bellies (bacon)
involve very large disassembly lines cutting 500-800 carcasses per hour
*there are many valuable pork cuts that are fabricated in bone-in form: backribs, spareribs, centerloins, and boston butts
General Lamb differences
large lamb plants (3-4) process >1,200-2,200 head/day
includes the fabrication of some of the carcasses into boxed, primal, sub-primal, variety meats, trimmings, and seasoned and marinated items
*large plants sell whole carcasses that are shipped to meat markets where lamb sales are the highest (US coastal regions)
involve disassembly lines that are similar to but much smaller than beef and pork processing lines cutting 100-200 carcasses per hour
*there are many valuable lamb cuts that are fabricated in bone-in form: hotel racks, frenched rib racks, bone-in loins, and semi-boneless legs
*its also common for large facilities to season and marinate items in house
Specifications Purpose
Institutional Meat Purchas Specifications (IMPS) were developed to address the needs of large-volume meat purchasers (restaurants, hotels, government agencies)
they provide a common language which helps facilitate the marketing of meat products in such arenas: detailed item descriptions, levels the playing field (price), no surprises
Specifications Background
USDA has maintained IMPS since the 1960s under agreement with National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO)
-they are to be maintained as Voluntary Consensus Standards, public domain, not to become regulatory, revised to reflect industry practice
USDA/AMS/LSP/SAT
-gatekeepers, AMS specifications are a statement of contract (quality) and does not supersede regulatory requirements
IMPS have served as the foundation or reference for many outlets
-Industry Association Documents & Marketing Efforts, Processors Specifications, International standards, Interactive websites
It has also served as a valuable resource
-contractual language, Full Line Food Distributor Requirements, Litigation Support, Teaching/Academics
Specifications Hierarchal Structure
Consists of 11 documents
-general requirements, quality assurance provisions, fresh beef, fresh lamb & mutton, fresh veal & calf, fresh pork, cured cured&smoked and fully cooked pork products, cured dried and smoked beef products, variety meats & edible by-products, sausage products, fresh goat
Specifications General Requirements
Provide the purchaser with a variety of options:
-meat handling, packing and packaging, certification options, many others, the intent is for PSO’s to be the same for each series, but differences occur
Contractors are responsible for delivering products that comply with all contractual and specification requirements:
-set up a quality system designed to assure compliance
FSIS inspection
Ordering data specified by the purchaser (PSOs):
-meat handling: state of refrigeration, production temperature & time locations, metal detection
-Packaging & packing: FSIS compliant, material style weight resistances closures, palletizing, recycling
-USDA certification
Other:
-grade, fat limitations, dimensional tolerances, weigh tolerances (restaurants), added ingredients, muscle &skeletal quality, other special requirements
Fat trim levels
> 1/4” sometimes referred to as commodity trim
1/8” trim very common fat trim level especially in food service
practically free (75% lean surface exposed with <1/8” fat trim)
peeled/denuded (all fat removed) (eg tenderloin)
peeled/denuded/surface membrane removed (all fat and silver skin removed)
Retail Cut fabrication
you cut across the grain perpendicular to the muscle fiber in order to avoid large muscle fibers thus making it easier to chew.
DONT cut with the grain
Fabrication
systematic disassembly of the carcass
**basic principles of meat cutting*
1) separate fat from the lean
2) separate tough from the tender
3) separate fat from the thick
-marketing purposes
4) separate valuable from less valuable
-important to know anatomy
5) separation of retail cuts by cutting across the Grain perpendicular to the predominant orientation of the muscle fibers
6) separate bone-in from boneless
Prok carcasses Wholesale Cuts
leg, loin, belly, picnic shoulder, Boston butt
skin is left: provides protection (not major concern anymore),
we eat pork skins
Major Pork Muscles
in order of value (generally the more tender the more value)
*babyback rib
bonless top loin (longissimus dorsi)
spare ribs (intercostals and rib bones)
belly
boston butt
hams
picnic shoulder
Lamb Wholesale cuts
Leg, loin, rack (rib), shoulder
Cut location
must cut carcasses in specified locations its faudulant to cut our larger margins for more profit
Major Lamb Cuts
tender= more value
rack (longissimus dorsi)
loin
leg
shoulder
Beef Carcass Wholesale cuts
Hindquarter: round, loin, flank
forequarter: plate, brisket, shank, rib, chuck
Major beef muscles
generally the more tender the more value
tenderloin
ribeye and striploin
sirloin
inside round
knuckle
eye of round
bottom flat
top blade
clod
Muscle anatomical locations
muscles of locomotion are tougher (less tender higher WBSF) these are the muscles in the front of the animal
BAM cuts
beef alternative merchandising
new and innovative cuts for the beef rib and loin
oversized carcass problems:
-food service portion cutting problems, bigger carcass means a thinner trim for the same weight leading to steak cooking issues
BAM cuts examples
ribeye roll: separate longissimus from cap sell ribeye steaks and ribeye cap steak
striploin: cut in half from new york strip to new york medalion
Define Meat
*delmour defintion: animal tissue suitable for use as food
muscle that is skeletal, or in the tongue, diaphragm, heart, or esophagus
includes products recovered from advanced meat recovery systems (AMRS) machinery
does not include mechanically separated meat
the AMR cannot grind, crush, or pulverize bones to remove edible meat tissue and bones must emerge essentially intact. the meat produced in this manner can contain no more than 150mg Ca per 100 grams product. Product that exceeds the Ca limit must be labeled “mechanically separated beef or pork”
Define fresh
for meat and poultry the term fresh means that the product has never been frozen
fro processing purposes we are referring to the fact that the product is not cooked and it has not been cured with nitrite or nitrate
What is meat processing
any mechanical, chemical, or enzymatic treatment of meat that alters the form in which it originally occurs.
Processed, further processed, value-added
change from original fresh form to another:
-grind, chop, blend, season
-marinate, pump, cure, blend
-ferment, dry, cook
-package protection?
individual portion
Processing Functions
preservation or shelf life extension (classic)
tenderization- mechanical, enzymatic, or chemical
cooking to increase food safety and palatability
manipulation & control of composition
portion control
increase product variety
increase convenience to consumers
Added convenience Quality and Value
fully cooked
heat and serve
seasoned and marinated
ready to cook
batter and breading
guaranteed tender
ground bee, pork, lamb
pre-formed hamburger patties
sausages (un-cured)
portioned foodservice cuts
Size reduction
particle size reduction is the most common means of processing fresh meat products
-grinding, flaking, chopping, chunking, slicing, stealing
the thinner meat is sliced or the finer its ground the more tender it becomes
-however thinner meats dry out more easily during cooking
grinding
clearly grinding meat products adds to versatility:
-easily seasoned and prepared, used in box type meals, used in most every style of cooking
ground beef
-offered in many lean/fat percentages to accommodate the desires of consumers: 96/4 to 70/30
-extra lean and lean claims
-ground chuck, ground loin, ground sirloin
Ground Beef regulations*
cannot contain more than 30% fat
can be seasoned (if labeled appropriately)
cannot add pure fat or fat that is not already existing in the trimmings to be ground
no added water, binders or extenders, or dye
no more than 25% of trimmings can result from cheek meat (except in prisons)
specific “primal” ground beef (sirloin, round, or chuck) means trimming must result only from that primal cut
Other ground beef products
Hamburger
-not the same as ground beef: can have added fat
Ground Beef and texturized vegetable protein:
labeled for either ground beef or hamburger, contains soy or other extenders, must have the above statement of ingredients
Imitation ground beef and/or beef patties can contain:
-added beef fat, added water, and partially defatted beef fat tissue
-partially defeated tissue: beef trimmings rendered at a temp to melt away fat without denaturing proteins
Lean, Finely Textured Beef (LFTB)
also called boneless lean beef trimmings (BLBT) previously called fat-reduced tissue or partially defatted tissue, is a lean meat ingredient derived from beef fat trimmings
a unique low-temperature rendering (cooking) and separation procedure that produces a lean product (<10% fat) that may be used as an ingredient in processed meats
LFTB- How is it made?
to make LFTB (BLBT) the trimming are warmed to about 100 degrees F in equipment that looks like a large high speed mixing bowl (centrifuge) that spins these trimmings to separate meat from the fat that has been liquefied
the resulting product is very low fat (95% lean)
beef products Inc utilized nitrogen hydroxide gas in the process as an antimicrobial intervention and cargill utilized citric acid
LFTB: uses
LFTB was estimated to be used in 70-80% of all ground beef prior to 2002
today most retailers, burger chains, and restaurants claim they do not use LFTB
Sept 2012 Beef Priducts Inc filed a $1.2 billion lawsuit against ABC news claiming damages as a result of “pink slime”
LFTB: microbial safety
ammonium hydroxide is used to produce a lean meat product that is added to ground beef to reduce overall fat content without compromising flavor
it also has some degree of antimicrobial effect
only beef that has successfully completed the inspection by FSIS is eligible to enter NSLP
LFTB: functionality
while LTFP is high in protein it contains more serum and connective tissue proteins and less myofibrillar proteins than muscle meat
LFTB has less functionality in processed meats resulting in lower yields and softer texture
softer texture may be used to advantage in high protein low fat meat products where excessive toughness or firmness is a problem
LFTB is feed in prison meals
Grinding and making paties
methods for fat analysis: ether extract, FOSS-NIR reflectance, Anyl-Ray (most common)
trimming usualy ground twice:
-course grind amd analyze for fat content
-bed with leaner or fatter grinds to get desired content
-fine grind
-form chubs or patties
Chubs and Patties
Wholesale ground beef is most often sold in chubs:
-tightly stuffed plastic tubes with clipped ends
-commonly in 10lb increments
-reground and reoackaged at retail
patties come in all shpaes and sizes fresh or frozen
-round 1/6lb
-oval 1/4 pound
-square 1/3 pound
Portion cutting for food service
cutting boxed beef subprimals into pre-portioned, prepackaged steak
portion cutters make profits based on yields and accuracy
handcutting
-skilled labor using scales to spot check work
-bone-in cuts
-specialty cuts
automated cutting
-laser guided technologies
-extreme precision
-boneless cutting
deep basting or Enhancement
very common in pork: salt water phosphorus and sometimes spices injected into pork (using multi-needle method)
prevents consumers from overcooking, increases tenderness, adds weight
must be labeled
increases product weight and maintains juiciness
may include enzymatic tenderizers
Enzymatic tenderizers
tropical plant enzymes are stable and active at cooking temperatures and can cause “mushy” texture if treated products are held at high temperatures for long periods
papain is the most commonly used enzymatic tenderizer in the industry
papain from papaya
bromelin from pineapple
ficin from figs
