Best Practices

April 2024

MeatingPod Show Notes EP157: Dr. Casey Owens, Dr. Dongyi Wang

Chris Scott (CS): Welcome. I’m Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at Meatingplace and Alt-Meat magazines. We have not more...

Back to the future for your older equipment

by Paul Kafer, Anabasis ConsultingI graduated high school almost 50 years ago. “Eight-track tapes” were introduced in the mid-1960s and achieved more...

Assessing the role of early incubation temperature on development of woody breast

By Dr. Denise Heard, US POULTRY Relatively little published research is available regarding the impact of incubation temperature variation on the development more...

March 2024

AMSA Exclusive: Freezing rate has greater impact on quality of cooked pork patties than thawing conditions

by Jin-Kyu Seo, Hyun-Wook Kim and Yuan H. Brad Kim, Purdue UniversityMeat patties stand out as one of the world’s favorite types of meat more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP153: Dr. Carol Cardona, Dr. Michelle Kromm

Chris Scott (CS): Welcome. I’m Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at Meatingplace and Alt-Meat magazines. Our topic today more...

ABCs of AI: Considerations for automation implementation

by Chris Williams, Pineland FarmsHiring skilled labor long has been a complex and challenging topic for the meat industry. Traditional roles often demand more...

Meat crimes: food defense and food fraud

by Maggie Smith, Viand Group Food defense and food fraud are GFSI audit requirements, but more importantly, they are considered food crimes.Knowing what more...

February 2024

Study: Biodegradable packaging improves color, and thus marketability, of dark-cutting beef

by Ranjith Ramanathan, Oklahoma State University, et al A recent study by researchers at Oklahoma State and Michigan State universities has simultaneously more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 149: Danville Community College panel

Chris Scott (CS): Welcome. I’m Chris Scott, host of Meatingpod and contributing editor at Meatingplace and Alt-Meat magazines. For today’s more...

Embracing the future: The poultry industry's journey to Industry 4.0

by Amit Morey, PhD, Auburn University The International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) 2024 has just wrapped up, marking one of the most expansive more...

Mapping out hygienic zones in your manufacturing areas

by Tonya Bryant, Nom Nom FoodsHygienic zones can be broken up into many categories, using different nomenclature such as high, medium and low, or GMP more...

January 2024

AMSA Exclusive: Effect of organic acids on spoilage microbiota in ready-to-eat meat products

by Jeff Sindelar and Mehmet DoganMeat spoilage constitutes a significant challenge that negatively impacts diverse aspects of the food chain, encompassing more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 145: Dr. Denise Heard, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association

Chris Scott (CS): Welcome. I'm Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at Meatingplace and Alt-Meatmagazines. Today's more...

Preparing your capital project for Industry 4.0 technology

by Paul Kafer, Anabasis Technical Consulting, LLCYour mission, should you decide to accept it, is to develop a capital project featuring Industry 4.0 more...

USPOULTRY: Starting 2024 off right with the Expo and research

by Dr. Denise HeardUSPOULTRY’s 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) is expected to make history with the largest trade show more...

December 2023

Balancing the dance of new product introductions

by Maggie Smith, Viand GroupComplacency or confidence: Which plays a greater role in the introduction of new products to the market? Are companies afraid more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 141: Dr. Dongyi Wang, University of Arkansas

Chris Scott (CS): Hi, I’m Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at both Meatingplace and Alt Meat magazines. Our guest today more...

Plasma-activated water and chemicals: next-gen technology to improve food safety and plant sanitation

by Amit Morey, PhD, Auburn UniversityOver the years, the poultry industry has made significant strides in controlling pathogen and microbial contamination more...

Year-end safety reviews should include pest control, supplier verification

by Tonya Bryant, Nom Nom FoodsAs the year comes to a close, maybe you've finalized your food safety audit or you're preparing for the upcoming one at more...

November 2023

AMSA Exclusive: Technical support from AMSA, other USDA partners improves supply chain resiliency

In response to meat supply disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic closing meat processing facilities, in 2022 the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 137: Neal Walsh, Butterball

Chris Scott (CS): Welcome. I’m Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at Meatingplace and Alt Meat News magazines. In more...

Robotic rehang: opportunities and challenges in the Industry 4.0 era

by Konrad Ahlin, PhD, Georgia Tech Research Institute As employment pressures continues to influence market forces, alternative solutions for labor-dependent more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 132: Dr. Mindy Brashears, Texas Tech University

Chris Scott (CS): Welcome. I’m Chris Scott, host of Meatingpod, and contributing editor at Meatingplace and Alt-Meat magazines. Today’s more...

October 2023

The promise of automated packaging technology in the meat plant

By Holger DiracThe labor situation in meat plants is a growing concern. Though there are differences in the specific challenges among various regions more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 133: Dr. Casey M. Owens, University of Arkansas

Chris Scott (CS): Hi. I’m Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at both Meatingplace and Alt-Meat magazines. Our guest more...

Reskilling your labor force for the automated plant

by Chris Williams, general manager, Pineland Farms Natural MeatsEditor's Note: This article comes from the Industry 4.0 Connect archives, originally published more...

Ceca may not adequately predict Salmonella in ground turkey

By Dr. Denise Heard in collaboration with Dr. Nikki Shariat and Dr. Anna CarlsonSalmonella enterica is linked to a number of human illnesses every more...

September 2023

AMSA Exclusive: Fresh beef tumbling enhances tenderness and proteolysis of cull cow beef loins

By Madison Romanyk, Purdue UniversityCull cows traditionally have been regarded as yielding low-quality and low-value meat by the industry due to their more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 130: Dr. Wes Osburn, Texas A&M University

Chris Scott (CS): Welcome. I’m Chris Scott, host of Meatingpod and contributing editor at Meatingplace and Alt Meat magazines. In today’s more...

Designing your engineering function for success

by Paul Kafer, Anabasis ConsultingSuccessfully implementing Industry 4.0 technology requires a strong technical foundation. Every part of the plant is more...

Are your customers' claims and complaints legit?

by Maggie Smith Are complaints made by your customers legitimate? Are you as bad as they make you think you are? Many times, processors will bury their more...

August 2023

Novel applications of high-pressure processing can boost redness of dark-cutting beef

by Ranjith Ramanathan, et alThe 2016 National Beef Quality Audit describes dark cutters as a lost opportunity for the beef industry. Dark-cutting more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP125: Anne-Marie Roerink, 210 Analytics

Chris Scott (CS): Welcome to MeatingPod. I’m Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at Meatingplace and Alt-Meat magazines more...

Leveraging AI and machine learning to revolutionize poultry safety and quality

by Amit Morey, Auburn University The poultry industry is a bustling hub of data, generating millions of data points every day across various stages of more...

Electrostatic sprayers, nozzles can be a game-changer for processing plants

by Tonya Bryant, Nom Nom FoodsElectrostatic sprayers and nozzles can be a game changer in processing plants across all operations. This unique technology more...

July 2023

AMSA Exclusive: How do diet and sex impact pork bellies—and subsequent bacon quality?

The most valuable bacon comes from thick, firm pork bellies that allow automated processing to maintain uniform slicing, the individual piece to hold more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 121: Drew Getty, Perdue Farms

Chris Scott (CS): Welcome. I’m Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod, and contributing editor at Meatingplace and Alt-Meatmagazines more...

AI is knocking on your door- will you let it in?

by Paul Kafer, Anabasis Technical Consulting, LLCArtificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic of many news reports, especially the advent of ChatGPT, and more...

Can Salmonella reading be vertically transmitted?

By Dr. Denise HeardSalmonellosis is a major public health concern worldwide, resulting in significant economic losses. In recent years, Salmonella more...

June 2023

Fresh beef tumbling provides simple, novel, natural way to improve tenderness

By Madison Romanyk, Jin-Kyu Seo, and Yuan H. Brad KimProviding consistently high-quality beef products to meet consumer satisfaction is crucial to the more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 117: Christine Alvarado, Prosur Incorporated

Chris Scott (CS): Today’s MeatingPod episode is sponsored by Botter North America. Welcome, I’m Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing more...

The promise of flexible automation in the meat and poultry industries

by Konrad AhlinAs the labor market demands increase, the necessity is growing for agile hardware and sophisticated software to maintain production. Robots more...

Solving the Salmonella conundrum — by changing the angle

by Amit Morey Scores of articles have already been written on Salmonella and how to prevent it in the poultry industry. Overall, I think we more...

May 2023

AMSA Exclusive: New AMSA color guidelines released

by Dr. Andy KingA team of experts studying meat color has compiled the American Meat Science Association’s “Guidelines for Meat Color Measurement more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 113: Dr. Bruce Stewart-Brown, Perdue Farms

Chris Scott (CS): Hi, I'm Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at both Meatingplace and Alt Meat magazines. Our guest today is more...

What’s driving changes in Costco audit requirements—and how processors should respond

by Maggie SmithAutomobile manufacturers change the look of their respective models to keep up with either trends, government mandates or new technologies more...

April 2023

Predictive Salmonella modeling: where do we go from here?

Predictive microbiology is a useful tool for evaluating processes and process deviations. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recognizes more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 109: Dongyi Wang, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering, University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture

Chris Scott (CS): Hi, I'm Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at both Meatingplace and Alt Meat News magazines. Our guest today more...

Getting the most value from Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software

by Paul Kafer, Anabasis Technical Consulting, LLCSupervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software has two distinct functions: Supervisor Control: more...

How well do Salmonella vaccines combat S. Reading infections in turkeys?

USPOULTRY-funded study tracked ability to reduce colonization, dissemination and persistenceBy Dr. Denise HeardSalmonella is a major human foodborne more...

March 2023

AMSA Exclusive: How does application of antimicrobial interventions change the flavor profile of ground beef?

By Mahesh N. Nair, et alBeef flavor is an important quality attribute in driving consumer satisfaction, especially when tenderness is acceptable. It is more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 105: Dr. Casey M. Owens, professor and poultry specialist at the University of Arkansas

Chris Scott (CS): Hi, I’m Chris Scott, host of Meatingpod and contributing editor at both Meatingplace and Alt Meat magazines. Our guest today more...

Strengthening poultry supply chain with data-based decision systems, remote monitoring

These innovations and others can improve food safety, reducing food waste and lossBy Amit MoreyRaw poultry meat is a highly perishable commodity that more...

NCC releases major changes to broiler animal welfare criteria

Updates to processing section focus on corporate commitment and personal training, key welfare indicatorsBy Maggie SmithThe National Chicken Council (NCC) more...

February 2023

Novel techniques to limit meat waste due to discoloration

By Ranjith Ramanathan, Morgan Pfeiffer, Gretchen Mafi, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Oklahoma State University, StillwaterDo you know more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 101: HPAI and the poultry industry in 2022 and beyond

Chris Scott (CS): Hi, I'm Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at both Meatingplace and Alt Meat News magazines. Our guest today more...

Virtual reality closer to reality for human-robot collaboration in food processing plants

by Dr. Konrad Ahlin, Georgia Institute of TechnologyIndustry 4.0, which has taken hold of the manufacturing sector in the past decade, enhances the sector’s more...

Adding ORP meters fine-tunes antimicrobial systems in poultry processing

by Tonya BryantIt’s common practice in the poultry processing industry to track and trend pH, temperatures and concentration levels for antimicrobial more...

January 2023

AMSA Exclusive: Staying abreast of food safety for whole chickens in Vietnam: How market type and time of purchase impact bacterial counts, Salmonella and Listeria prevalence

By Thu T. N. Dinh, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, et alA longer version of this article appeared in Meat more...

MeatingPod Show Notes EP 97 -- Poultry pro tips: best practices to best-in-class

In this episode from the MeatingPod Vault, former Meatingplace Science and Technology Editor Julie Larson Bricher discusses animal welfare audits, biosecurity more...

Tap into Industry 4.0 for "back of the house" processes

by Paul Kafer, principal, Anabasis Technical Consulting Meat plant operators place a great deal of focus on applying Industry 4.0 technology to their more...

USPOULTRY: Starting 2023 right with expo, new research

by Denise Heard, vice president of research programs, USPOULTRY It’s almost time for USPOULTRY to put on its annual show—and research is taking more...

December 2022

Should we reinstall the old cutting Table? The promise of robotics

by Lars Hinrichsen, Danish Technological Institute, DMRI, Taastrup, DenmarkFor many years we have been bragging about meat-packers’ more...

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 93: USPOULTRY preps for a new 2023 research projects, IPPE show

Chris Scott (CS): Hi, I'm Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at both Meatingplace and Alt-Meat magazines. Our guest today is more...

After your industry 4.0 installation: managing, training, buy-in

by Paul Kafer, Anabasis Technical Consulting, LLCPrevious articles in this newsletter have focused on determining which aspects of Industry 4.0 technology more...

USPOULTRY funded these five research projects during 2022 competition

Five new and unique research projects—including studies on poultry-specific diseases, food safety, commercial egg production, and animal welfare—received more...

November 2022

AMSA Exclusive: How do carcass size, chilling conditions, and electrical stimulation impact beef quality?

By Blanchefort A. Djimsa, Colorado State University; Mahesh N. Nair, Colorado State University; Ann M. Hess, Colorado State University; Keith E. Belk more...

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 89: How technology, data boost animal husbandry for poultry

Chris Scott (CS): Hi, I'm Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at both Meatingplace and Alt-Meat magazines. Our guest today is more...

BRCGS Issue 9: Change is Constant

by Maggie R. Smith, MS, founder/owner, Viand Group, LLC "Change is the only constant," as the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus of Ephesus, first observed more...

October 2022

Extending the shelf life of steak using antioxidants

by Jessie B. Van Buren, Phillip D. Bass and Michael J. Colle  Fifteen percent of American beef was exported in 2021, contributing over $10.5 billion more...

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 85: Strategies designed to reduce bacterial pathogens in poultry meat products

Chris Scott (CS): Our guest today is Anuraj Theradiyil Sukumaran, assistant professor of microbiology and food safety at Mississippi State University more...

OT: The Bridge Between Engineering and IT

by Paul KaferThe iPad was introduced 12 years ago, in 2010. Prior to that date we either used a laptop or a desktop PC for our work. It is hard to imagine more...

September 2022

AMSA Exclusive: Beef discoloration costs industry more than $3.7 billion annually, study shows

By Ranjith Ramanathan, Lixia H. Lambert, Mahesh Nair, Brad Morgan, Ryan Feuz, Gretchen Mafi and Morgan PfeifferFresh beef contributes to the largest more...

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 81: R&D and new regulations around poultry quality and safety

Chris Scott (CS): Hi, I'm Chris Scott, host of MeatingPod and contributing editor at Meatingplace magazine and Alt-Meat magazine. Welcome to Episode more...

Reskilling your labor force for the automated plant

March 2, 2020 was one of the greatest days of my career. It was the first day of production at Pineland Farms Natural Meats brand new medium-sized further more...

Training the "why"

Training is defined as “the passing of ones’ knowledge to another.” Training does not mean one comprehends, but merely that knowledge more...

August 2022

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 77: Delmarva poultry by the numbers

Julie Larson Bricher (JLB): Hi, I'm Julie Larson Bricher, your host for Episode 77 of MeatingPod, where we're talking regional economics and poultry industry more...

Top tips for Six Sigma in meat and poultry processing

Six Sigma can be intimidating. There is a whole body of technical knowledge that supports the implementation of Six Sigma, and we don’t all have more...

USPOULTRY Exclusive: Winging it on food safety is not a strategy

The poultry industry is redefining how food safety is addressed. Salmonella and campylobacter continue to be the top two foodborne pathogens that cause more...

July 2022

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 73: Nerding out on food safety culture

Julie Larson Bricher (JLB): Hi, I'm Julie Larson Bricher, your host for Episode 73 of MeatingPod, where we're talking food safety culture, leadership more...

Production and sanitation: Are the right questions being asked to ensure food safety?

Without sanitation, the safety of food cannot be guaranteed. Without food safety measures in place, sanitation is ineffective. Which is more important? more...

June 2022

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 69: A bird's eye view on food safety

Julie Larson Bricher (JLB): Hi, I'm Julie Larson Bricher, science and technology editor for Meatingplace magazine. Welcome to Ep. 69 of MeatingPod, where more...

May 2022

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 65: Talkin' turkey: Key trends reshaping poultry processing

Julie Larson Bricher (JLB): Hi, I'm Julie Larson Bricher, science and technology editor for Meatingplace magazine. Welcome to Ep. 65 of MeatingPod, where more...

April 2022

Natural approaches to controlling biofilm effects in the meat industry

In the meat processing environment, biofilms can be the cause of food spoilage or the transmission of foodborne pathogens. Biofilms are comprised of a more...

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 61: From best practices to best-in-class: Expert tips on poultry welfare audits

Hi, I'm Julie Larson Bricher, science and technology editor for Meatingplace magazine. Welcome to Ep. 61 of MeatingPod, where we're talking animal welfare more...

USPOULTRY Exclusive: New research to evaluate vertical transmission of Salmonella Reading in turkeys

Salmonellosis is a major public health concern worldwide, resulting in significant economic losses. Salmonella enterica serotype Reading emerged as a more...

March 2022

AMSA Exclusive: Meat in healthy eating patterns

Higher protein diets support increases in and maintenance of muscle for athletes and routinely active individuals, weight management, and aging. However more...

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 57: Lights, camera, actionable: A spotlight on practical poultry research

Julie Larson Bricher (JLB): Welcome to Ep. 57 of MeatingPod, where we're talking what's new in applied and actionable science in poultry processing, with more...

Lessons learned: How small steps and flexibility can optimize your meat production capacity

Let’s face it, small and medium sized meat processors have the same challenges that the large multinational companies do. They just may not be as more...

February 2022

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 53: [R]evolutionary pathogen control in poultry processing

Julie Larson Bricher (JLB): Welcome to Ep. 53 of MeatingPod, where we're talking a novel approach for pathogen control and food safety management in poultry more...

Digital transformation in the slaughterhouse: A pioneering past and bright future

Just like the slaughter industry was a pioneer in establishing the modern production line in the mid-19th century (e.g., the Armour & Co. meatpacking more...

January 2022

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 49: Case Farms makes the case for award-winning worker safety

Hi, I'm Julie Larson Bricher, science and technology editor for Meatingplace magazine. Welcome to Ep. 49 of MeatingPod, where we're talking outstanding more...

October 2021

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 37: Tales from a totally chill poultry plant expansion

Julie Larson Bricher (JLB): Hi. I'm Julie Larson Bricher, science and technology editor for Meatingplace magazine. Welcome to Ep. 37 of MeatingPod, where more...

USPOULTRY Exclusive: Road to discovering an effective S. Reading vaccine to improve food safety and protect the U.S. turkey industry

Salmonella is a major human foodborne pathogen and is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Salmonellosis is frequently caused more...

September 2021

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 33: Case Farms makes the case for poultry health and animal welfare excellence

JLB: Hi, I'm Julie Larson Bricher, science and technology editor for Meatingplace magazine. Welcome to Episode 33 of MeatingPod, where we're talking poultry more...

August 2021

Meat color: The science behind cured and cooked products

Color influences meat purchasing decisions more than any other factor. To consumers, meat color is an indicator of quality, flavor, tenderness, wholesomeness more...

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 29: Poultry's big, bad bugs under the microscope

Julie Larson Bricher (JLB): Hi. I’m Julie Larson Bricher, Science and Technology Editor for Meatingplace magazine. Welcome to Ep. 29 of MeatingPod more...

USPOULTRY Exclusive: Cutting-edge and innovative poultry research is underway

USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation approved seven new research projects during the 2021 Spring Research Competition. These seven projects will bring more...

July 2021

Love me(at) tender: Advances in meat quality research

With the impact of COVID-19 on the food supply chain and market demand, consumers have become more interested than ever before in the quality attributes more...

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 25: Food science meets culinary art: A recipe for success

Julie Larson Bricher (JLB): Hi. I’m Julie Larson Bricher, science and technology editor for Meatingplace magazine. Welcome to Ep. 25 of MeatingPod more...

June 2021

AMSA Exclusive: Antioxidant activities and sensory analysis of grape pomace patties

Processed meats have received negative publicity due to their high fat and high sodium content. In conventional processing, high amounts of animal fat more...

MeatingPod Show Notes: EP 21: A sustainability framework for poultry, the planet and its people

JLB: Hi. I’m Julie Larson Bricher, science and technology editor for Meatingplace magazine. Welcome to Ep. 21 of MeatingPod, where we're talking more...

Farm-to-fork tech applications to control salmonella and campylobacter in poultry production: Part 1

Editor's note: This two-part article reviews the efficacy of current interventions for Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry production and processing more...

May 2021

USPOULTRY Exclusive: How incubation temperature may affect the development of wooden breast in broiler chickens

Wooden breast is a meat quality issue that, after years of investigation, is still costing the broiler industry millions of dollars in lost revenue each more...

March 2021

MeatingPod Show Notes: New adventures in food safety

JLB: Hi. I’m Julie Larson Bricher, Science and Technology Editor for Meatingplace magazine. Welcome to Episode 9 of MeatingPod, where we're talking more...

Managing expectations: How to get real about your plant's Industry 4.0 program

There is a great deal of excitement and high expectations for the efficiency gains that Industry 4.0 will deliver to the meat, poultry and food processing more...

February 2021

MeatingPod Show Notes: It's a g'day to talk about poultry science, salmonella and food safety

Julie Larson Bricher: Hi! I’m Julie Larson Bricher, science and technology editor for MeatingPlace Magazine. Welcome to episode 5 of MeatingPod more...

January 2021

MeatingPod Show Notes: 2021 Trends in Poultry Research

Julie Larson Bricher (JLB): Hi. I’m Julie Larson Bricher, science and technology editor for Meatingplace magazine. Welcome to Episode 1 of MeatingPod more...

December 2020

AMSA Exclusive: Adapting food processing to decontaminate N95 respirators during the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic

The Michigan State University (MSU) Food Processing and Innovation Center (FPIC) is a commercial food development and processing facility that has inspection more...

Poultry line speed vs. salmonella: A Q&A with USDA's Mindy Brashears

A Q&A with Mindy Brashears, USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety In this exclusive Q&A interview, Meatingplace asked Mindy Brashears, USDA Under more...

November 2020

Simple steps to effective sensory evaluation in the food industry

Humans can be used as measuring instruments to ascertain food quality attributes, but it requires training and strict adherence to procedure to obtain more...

AMSA Exclusive: Promising novel interventions to control Campylobacter jejuni on chicken parts

Campylobacter is the leading bacterial cause of diarrheal illness in the United States, with an estimated 1.5 million infections each year. Food-related more...

October 2020

The people-process-technology approach to cybersecurity in smart manufacturing

Whether you're executing a digital transformation initiative in a meat processing plant, in a pharmaceutical facility or in a heavy industrial manufacturing more...

August 2020

Smart business: How to leverage data analytics in your meat processing operation

Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink. It seems this commonly used phrase can be used to describe the oceans of numbers that comprise the data more...

Cleaning 2.0: Tips for smarter meat plant hygiene

Cleanliness is crucial to achieving and maintaining a high level of food safety and quality, but cleaning in the food industry is performed as it has more...

July 2020

What's in your poultry production pathogen intervention toolbox?

Efforts to manage Salmonella at every stage of the poultry production chain play a major role in reducing its impacts. When the U.S. Department of Agriculture more...

June 2020

The effect of genetic strain and diet on meat quality and incidence of woody breast meat from broilers used for commercial production

Since 2013, the broiler industry has experienced a breast meat defect that is characterized by hardened areas and pale ridge-like bulges at both the caudal more...

Campylobacter detection: Where are we now?

For several years now, CDC estimates have ranked Campylobacter as the nation's most common cause of bacterial foodborne illness, affecting about 1.3 million more...

May 2020

How IIoT data can improve your food traceability system

Since its inception, the Internet has grown to become an integral part of our daily lives. We have progressed from wired desktop computers and heavy software more...

Salmonella testing best practices in poultry processing plants

Poultry processors have a huge task to supply billions of pounds of poultry to the market but also to produce safe and wholesome poultry products for more...

April 2020

PMMI Exclusive: The importance of collaboration between OT and IT departments on Industry 4.0

One of the largest “culture shocks” around Industry 4.0 is the competing interests of operational technology (OT) and information technology more...

Will COVID-19 drive adoption of Industry 4.0 in the meat industry?

A Q&A interview with supply chain expert Rong Li, PhD, Syracuse University In April, Meatingplace had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Rong Li, assistant more...

Using rapid microbiological testing effectively in meat and poultry processing

Using rapid microbiological testing effectively in meat and poultry processing Microorganisms can be beneficial in certain sectors of the food industry more...

The nuts and bolts of poultry washing and disinfection

Poultry has been consistently associated with foodborne diseases due to Salmonella spp and Campylobacter spp.  Although Escherichia coli and Listeria more...

March 2020

Making the business case for Industry 4.0 in your meat plant, Part 2

As discussed in Part 1 of this article last month, it is important to take a 30,000-ft. view when making the business case for implementing an Industry more...

Using in-plant investigations to find the root cause of foreign material inclusion

In meat and poultry product manufacturing, we often find ourselves dealing with sporadic events, variable personnel and complex processes. Due to the more...

February 2020

Making the business case for Industry 4.0 in your meat plant, Part 1

Although many industrial sectors have successfully created and implemented Industry 4.0 initiatives over the past few decades — electronics, tech more...

Instrumental texture analysis of poultry deli loaves prepared with broiler breast fillets exhibiting woody breast characteristics

Over the past few years, the global poultry industry has been facing the woody breast (WB)  condition, an increasing and challenging meat quality more...

Quality differences in woody breast meat marinated with commercial ingredients

Woody breast (WB) is a myopathy that ranges in severity and is defined by its visibly hardened, bulging, pale attributes within the Pectoralis major muscle more...

January 2020

PMMI Exclusive: Creating a culture of smart manufacturing in your meat plant

Opportunities for implementing big data analytics in a meat plant are varied and extend beyond the more well-known applications, such as predictive maintenance more...

Food safety in motion: Ensuring the cold chain in the age of FSMA

In 2011, due to ongoing concerns for contaminating the food supply during transportation, the U.S. Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act, more...

Producing high-quality ready-to-eat grilled chicken breast

Chicken continues to be the number one protein choice for most consumers. There are many reasons why chicken is considered the most consumed meat, including more...

December 2019

Are you ready for a black swan event?

A black swan is a metaphor used by risk analysts to describe an event that is not expected, but has catastrophic effects. The term was coined by Nassim more...

October 2019

Insights into electrical pig stunning processes

The last few minutes of a meat animal’s life are critical to the end product quality, food safety and overall eating characteristics. This is true more...

Top tips to ensure standout science-based QA/QC programs

Excellent quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) programs are the lifeblood of any meat or poultry production operation. Keeping on top of the many more...

September 2019

AMSA Exclusive: Effects of dry heat cooking and quality grade on the tenderness and juiciness of beef strip loin steaks

Cooking of meat is essential to achieve a palatable and safe product for consumers. Cooking impacts basic traits related to consumer preferences such more...

August 2019

Pork slaughter: Diligent production practices to minimize pathogens

It is time to revive diligence. Years ago, it seemed like workers were extremely conscientious about food safety and would never consider cutting corners more...

July 2019

Using phosphate alternatives to produce chunked and formed deli ham

Sodium tripolyphosphate (STP) is commonly used to improve the juiciness and tenderness of meat products. However, STP is not considered "natural" by consumers more...

June 2019

Winging it: Best practices in chicken wing processing

There are several different stories regarding how chicken wings went from the least desirable cut (usually discarded or used for chicken stock) to one more...

Reducing your plant's airborne contamination risk

Bacteria are everywhere in nature and they are commonly found on animals used for slaughter — in their intestines, feathers, hides, feet and hooves more...

May 2019

AMSA Exclusive: Genetics and proteomics of dark cutting beef

Dark cutting beef is a significant meat quality defect because its high pH (> 6.0) is conducive to microbiological growth, which not only decreases more...

Validate and verify: Checking your antimicrobial interventions

Antimicrobial intervention activities for pathogen control in poultry are primarily focused at the processing plant level. However, salmonella and campylobacter are more...

April 2019

Developing smart-aging as a value-adding strategy

A consistent supply of high quality and wholesome meat products to consumers — the ultimate end-users of the products — is pivotal to the more...

December 2018

Latest research into strengthening broiler legs, via nutrition, breeding

Commercial broiler strains have improved in growth performance due to better genetics, management, targeted nutrition and animal welfare. Most often these more...

AAMP Exclusive: Best practices from the American Meat Curing Championships

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

November 2018

Tips for producing uniform clipped products

An effective closure made with a clip on a meat chub will be determined by the quality of material used to make that clip. These clips should be made more...

October 2018

The relationship between bird handling and food safety: Part 2

Editor's note: This is the second article in a two-part series. Part 1, published in Processing Solutions on July 16, 2018, is available to read here more...

How to keep up yield and quality during beef trimming procedures

Trimming of carcasses is an essential task to ensure safety and quality. While the majority of trimming occurs as one of the final steps during slaughter more...

AAMP Exclusive: Best practices from the American Meat Curing Championships

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

The latest science behind clean label

With demand for clean labeled food products on an upward trajectory, scientists the world over have been busy conducting a range of research into ingredients more...

September 2018

PMMI Exclusive: High flying drone delivery

Instant gratification – isn’t that what we all want? As we leave work, we might decide we want steaks on the grill for dinner. Wouldn’t more...

August 2018

Maintenance schedules for form, fill and seal equipment

Automated equipment that can form, fill and seal packages in a continuous manner is a marvel of modern engineering and efficiency. Fill, form, and seal more...

Interview: Deciphering regulations for use of natural antioxidants in meat products

Incorporating natural ingredients that have antioxidant properties into meat and poultry is a bonus round for companies looking to produce clean-label more...

AAMP Exclusive: Best practices from the American Meat Curing Championships

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

July 2018

Frying: Tips to extend the life of your cooking oil

Deep frying is one complex practice in food processing. During processing, frying oils experience several reactions that significantly contribute to the more...

Clean packaging sustains both planet and consumer satisfaction

In a consumer climate deeply concerned with preserving the earth, it’s no surprise that sustainability remains a critical factor in food purchasing more...

The relationship between bird handling and food safety: Part 1

Food safety of poultry products, and consequently protecting consumers’ health, is the priority in the poultry industry worldwide. Food safety assurance more...

June 2018

Cook-in-bag preparations: How to do it right

Cook-in-bag and film preparations, in addition to microwave refrigerated meals, have had a volumetric increase since 2013 due to the demand for convenience more...

AAMP Exclusive: Best practices from the American Meat Curing Championships

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

May 2018

New developments in clean-in-place technologies

Cleaning is one of the most critical stages to control safety and quality of food processing operations. Clean-in-place (CIP) automated procedures generally more...

April 2018

Preparing meat for whole muscle formed products

Whole muscle products such as formed hams and turkey breasts are a convenient, versatile and economical way of producing value-added products. Meat pieces more...

What to consider when considering clean colors

If you blindfolded a consumer and asked her to eat whatever was on the plate you’d just placed in front of her, chances are the idea would provoke more...

Looking ahead: the growing global demand for poultry meat

Current worldwide socioeconomic changes, such as increased incomes, population growth and increasing urbanization of cities and countries, have changed more...

New developments in irradiation for safety of meat and meat products

According to Food Safety News, the acceptance and use of food irradiation is growing and reached new levels in 2017.1 Many countries have begun to irradiate more...

AAMP Exclusive: Best practices from the American Meat Curing Championships

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

March 2018

"Clean" begins with "clear"- delivering on your labeling promise

Increasingly, meat and poultry processors are looking to make a “clean” claim for an array of beef, pork, chicken and turkey products. But more...

February 2018

What processors need to understand about the Global Food Safety Initiative

In previous decades a series of high-profile international food safety crises involving foodborne illness-causing contaminants and microbes — from more...

AAMP exclusive: Best practices from the American Cured Meat Championship

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

January 2018

Low-sodium, low-fat formulations for frankfurters

Reduced fat and low-sodium trends have returned as popular trends for consumers. Per the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection more...

AMSA Exclusive: What do changes in antibiotic regulation and use on the farm and ranch mean for health and resistance?

This is part of an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned by the American Meat Science Association in cooperation with more...

December 2017

AMSA Exclusive: Post-mortem product handling and beef flavor chemistry

This is part of an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned by the American Meat Science Association in cooperation with more...

AAMP Exclusive: Best practices from the American Cured Meat Championships

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

November 2017

PMMI: Food waste reduction through labeling

Concern about food safety is always top of mind with food manufacturers, especially in light of increasing media and consumer scrutiny. Food segments more...

Five principles of water binding and retention in emulsified products

Water binding in further processed products is critical not only for yield, but more importantly for texture (mouthfeel), color, and quality characteristics more...

Food safety, poultry slaughter and microbiological controls

Live birds entering the processing plant can contain pathogens such as Salmonella and Campylobacter which, if not reduced, controlled or eliminated, could more...

AMSA Exclusive: The effects of sire line, slaughter weight and gender on pork quality and yield characteristics

By Haley Gilleland, Graduate Student, University of Georgia The U.S. swine industry has placed a premium on lean growth in order to meet the growing consumer more...

October 2017

AAMP Exclusive: Best practices from the American Cured Meat Championships

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

More poultry profits with better-integrated systems

By Tom Bruhn, vice president of Advanced Manufacturing Solutions at Stone Technologies, a certified member of the Control System Integrators Association more...

AMSA Exclusive: The new frontier: Production enhancement to meet the global protein challenge

By Kim Friesen, Chief Scientific Officer, NutriQuest This is part of an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned more...

September 2017

AMSA Exclusive: When meat meets math — Predictive modeling to determine safe cooking times of tenderized beef steaks

Editor's Note: This is part of an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned by the American Meat Science Association in more...

August 2017

The history of HACCP implementation

Despite the historic Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, the USDA still was using organoleptic inspection methods to inspect and govern the nation’s more...

PMMI Exclusive: Extending shelf-life through high-barrier packaging

The demand for meat products is growing, food safety regulations continue to advance, and retailers continually look for ways to manage costs. These factors more...

July 2017

AAMP Exclusive: Best practices from the American Cured Meat Championships

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

June 2017

Best practices in prevention standards

Industry best practices essentially are recognized as the application of risk analysis principles. The beef industry faces the challenge of not only complying more...

How to comply with "organic" labeling rules

The many labels on our food, from organic vegetables to USDA-inspected meat to cage-free eggs, can be confusing. How much do food labels actually tell more...

May 2017

How to prepare for the inevitable recall

Recalls have nearly become part of normal business. Inadvertent and unexpected recalls continue to occur on a regular basis. Fortunately, most more...

AAMP Exclusive: Best practices from the American Cured Meat Championships

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

April 2017

A closer look at what may be labeled as “natural”

From a food science perspective, it is difficult to determine if a beef product is considered “natural” since it has been processed in various more...

Improving beef carcass quality through temperature recording technologies

Two important concepts are involved in cold chain management and beef quality and safety. The first is the old business idea that you can’t improve more...

March 2017

AAMP Exclusive: Making traditional boneless ham

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

Biosecurity practices in campylobacter-negative & -positive commercial turkey farms

The human pathogen campylobacter is not as well known as salmonella or E. coli, but it is responsible for almost 800,000 illnesses in the United States more...

Raw material quality in fresh sausage production

(Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from the latest The Meat Processor’s Journal, an industry education e-book series jointly developed more...

February 2017

The best marination techniques: Adding flavor, color and tenderness to poultry products

One of the most challenging goals to accomplish in the food industry is understanding customer needs. The poultry industry has succeeded in being able more...

January 2017

AAMP Exclusive: Making award-winning andouille sausage

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

6 benefits of equipment financing

Many meat and poultry processors want to replace outdated machinery or invest in state-of-the art equipment to meet market-driven demands for high quality more...

How to comply with non-GMO labeling rules

Assuming anticipated price increases become a reality, the poor will pay a high price for the public’s “demand to know,” which is based more...

AMSA Exclusive: Salmonella presence in mandibular, mesenteric and subiliac lymph nodes collected from sheep and goats in the U.S.

Goat and lamb consumption in the United States may be shadowed in quantity by beef, pork and poultry, but globally these species are both considered valuable more...

December 2016

Best practices to prepare cattle for slaughter

Recently I visited a small slaughter plant that gave me the ideal cross section of beef to discuss in this article. So many small meat processors have more...

Poultry 101: Nutrition

Ensuring the quality and yield of the carcasses along the processing chain depends almost exclusively on a knowledgeable operator, precise and continuous more...

November 2016

AAMP Exclusive: Best practices for smoked and cooked small-diameter sausage

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

Poultry 101: Feed withdrawal

Poultry intended for human consumption must go off-feed prior to slaughter (a) to reduce feed costs by not providing feed during this period, (b) to minimize more...

October 2016

Applied tips for mechanical stunning locations in cattle and pigs

Stunning problems have been the most common cause for FSIS enforcement actions related to the Humane Slaughter Act of 1978 and the regulations that enforce more...

September 2016

AAMP Exclusive: How to make whole muscle jerky

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

How to reduce slips, trips and falls

Slips, trips and falls (STFs) can happen anywhere and at anytime, resulting with injuries, disabilities and death. The costs to both workers and employers more...

July 2016

How to create peaceful pens

There are many benefits to utilizing a systematic approach to review holding areas to assure that livestock are calm and peaceful while under plant control more...

AAMP Exclusive: Making award-winning snack sticks

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

Personal protective equipment best practices

This technical article limits its focus to the unique personal protective equipment (PPE) that’s commonly utilized within the meat and poultry industry more...

Poultry 101: Flock uniformity

Live production and processing are connected by means of a provider-client relationship. As the raw material is a key element within this interaction more...

June 2016

NAMI Exclusive: How to respond to a noncompliance record

Editor's note: This article is part of an occasional series written by the North American Meat Institute exclusively for Meatingplace. As a former regulator more...

Ground beef’s place in the local food movement

The local food movement has become more and more popular over the last 10 years. Once something confined to the Saturday morning farmer’s market more...

May 2016

Creating a robust humane handling systematic approach

In 2013, Lucy Anthenill, humane handling enforcement coordinator for FSIS, presented at the American Meat Institute Animal Care and Handling Conference more...

AAMP Exclusive: Making heavyweight bone-in ham

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

Tips on natural and clean labeling

Label profiles have changed drastically over the last few years due to consumer-driven requests. Cleaner labels and more “natural” sounding more...

April 2016

The fundamentals of dry curing

What’s old is new again. It's a common saying – but as the millennial generation matures into an economic powerhouse, this saying takes on more...

Best practices to prepare pigs for slaughter

After all of the hard work of choosing the right genetics, housing, environment, vaccines, feed, nutritional supplements and day to day handling, the more...

March 2016

What you need to know about I2P2

I2P2 is the name that the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) chose for its proposed federal version of an Injury and Illness Prevention more...

AAMP Exclusive: Creating award-winning frankfurters/wieners

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

Poultry 101: Pre-slaughter best practices

Pre-slaughter generally refers to a set of four individual operations: flock scheduling, feed withdrawal, live catching and live hauling. To preserve more...

February 2016

How to create an allergen control plan

Undeclared allergens are one of the most common causes of food recalls in the United States: In 2015 alone, more than 40 percent of all recalls at federally more...

Avian influenza and biosecurity

The strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) detected in late 2014 from migratory and wild birds in the Pacific, Central and Mississippi flyways more...

January 2016

AAMP Exclusive: How to make dry cured bacon

Editor’s note: The following video is part of a partnership with the American Association of Meat Processors. Its American Cured Meat Championships more...

Review of proper lockout/tagout/blockout procedures

OSHA’s standard for the control of hazardous energy -- 29 CFR Part 1910.147 -- exclusively addresses the practices and procedures that are necessary more...

AMSA Exclusive: Relationships between descriptive beef flavor attributes and consumer liking

Editor's note: This is part of an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned by the American Meat Science Association in more...

December 2015

AMSA Exclusive: Post-harvest implications of growing social interest in how meat is produced

Editor's note: This is part of an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned by the American Meat Science Association in more...

LED system leads to higher productivity, reduced chick mortality

The Keith Smith Company (KSC) of Hot Springs, Ark., began as a farm supply store selling tractors, general feed, farm supplies and baby chicks upon its more...

Cone, line and machine cutup: Best practices

With the ever-increasing search by consumers for value-added poultry products, the growing popularity of chicken in the fast food industry – especially more...

November 2015

How to improve the quality of raw products with HPP

Despite the grown popularity of raw food diets and increased demand, there is a health risk of food poisoning associated with food borne illnesses – more...

How to address post-thermal processing concerns in dry, semi-dry sausage production

(Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from The Meat Processor’s Journal, an industry education e-book series jointly developed by Handtmann more...

How to create food defense plans for product haulers

For most meat processors, product shipping is a two-way street. Raw materials including meat, ingredients and packaging are received, and raw or finished more...

October 2015

Best practices in alternative curing food safety

Alternative curing (also referred to as natural curing) continues to show strong market growth and endurance. Vegetable-based curing ingredients (celery more...

10 tips on employee training practices

“Death by PowerPoint” is a common theme when discussing employee training practices. Simply making some presentations, finding some videos more...

The changing global poultry landscape

As one of the world’s leading broiler producers, the United States also is one of the largest exporters of broiler meat. Although the Foreign Agriculture more...

September 2015

Secrets to humane handling of large market hogs

The Weekly Market Report for Dec. 12, 2014, showed the live market pig weight average was 287 pounds. That’s a 20-percent larger animal. The body more...

Lessons in pre-blending, pre-salting and pre-curing

Pre-blending, pre-salting and pre-curing are technologies that have been utilized for many decades in the meat industry. These technologies, in certain more...

August 2015

Reasons behind the renewed focus on pork quality

“Pork quality” is a term that is used quite frequently in the meat industry. But exactly what is pork quality? Quality includes two considerations: more...

How to keep RTE foods safe with HPP validation

Process validation and verification are essential requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). According to FSMA validation of high-pressure more...

July 2015

AMSA exclusive: Intro to dry and semi-dry sausages

Editor's note: This is part of an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned by the American Meat Science Association in more...

Managing yield through the cutup floor

Like all other animals raised for meat production, broilers lose part of their live weight along the dressing process. This weight loss is the result more...

June 2015

Best practices in captive bolt maintenance

During Fiscal 2013, 23 of 56 (50 percent) of the regulatory suspensions FSIS issued for humane handling were related to captive bolt stunning failures more...

How to choose between manual and automatic evisceration lines

Around the world, all processed broilers intended for human consumption must be eviscerated before reaching the points of sale. The only exceptions are more...

May 2015

4 steps to better ergonomics

Ergonomics is the science of adapting workplace conditions to fit the worker’s body to reduce the stress associated with the overuse of muscles more...

April 2015

Techniques for superior carcass quality and yield

Developed in 1965 in the United Kingdom, the “Five Freedoms” – though originally written to address welfare concerns in agricultural more...

March 2015

Essential steps to manage water usage in sanitation

Along the second half of the 20th century the thought that a nation’s wealth would be measured by the volume of its oil reserves dominated the world’s more...

February 2015

AMSA Exclusive: PSE - A hidden problem in the beef industry

Editor's note: This is part of an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned by the American Meat Science Association in more...

The secret to finding new barbecue items in the carcass

The industry is running out of brisket, pork butts and ribs, and it is looking for new ways to present cuts, such as treating the sirloin cap (coulette) more...

January 2015

How to improve quality, food safety and yield with pre-slaughter management

In industry jargon, “pre-slaughter” is the expression that refers to the set of operations responsible for moving market-age broilers from more...

How to critically evaluate processed meat — from hams to jerky

More than in any other sector in the food production industry, the evaluation of meat and poultry products is a continual occurrence. It extends all the more...

December 2014

Working with the latest phosphate replacers

Manufacturers of fresh and heat treated processed meats have been utilizing ingredients with functional properties for improving a variety of quality more...

November 2014

Methods to extend the shelf-life of fresh sausages

Fresh sausages continue to hold a strong presence in the marketplace. A multitude of product types, flavor profiles and other offerings makes this category more...

Poultry Basics: Preventive management of carcass downgrades

Chicken carcass condemnations and downgrades inflict substantial economical losses to the poultry industry around the world. The overall quality of the more...

October 2014

Improving sliceability of logs and rolls

By Tyre Lanier, professor of foods science with North Carolina State University's Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences Since many more...

How to save water and energy while improving product quality through packaging

Environmental concerns, consumer demand and potential bottom-line benefits have made the pursuit of sustainability initiatives a point of focus for meat more...

Emulsions: Ingredients used in water management

Emulsified products such as frankfurters, bologna and some deli loaves are complex systems in which fat, water and protein – which normally do not more...

September 2014

How to meet consumer needs with nutritional claims

It’s a familiar story: Once foods or ingredients are labeled as bad by a segment of the culture such as salt, processed meats and red meat, there more...

Best practices in Salmonella sampling

In December 2012, in response to several Salmonella outbreaks, the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) published the HACCP Plan Reassessment of Not-Ready-to-Eat more...

AMSA Exclusive: Groundbreaking research at 67th RMC

The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) 67th Reciprocal Meat Conference was held in late June in Madison, hosted by the University of Wisconsin and more...

Antimicrobials to use with natural and clean labels

Antimicrobials are used in processed meat products to protect against spoilage bacteria and pathogens, predominantly Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat more...

August 2014

AMSA Exclusive: Instrument augmented assessment of USDA beef carcass quality grades

As the world embraces rapid advancements in electronic and computer technology, it is a natural progression and necessity for traditional industries such more...

Food safety trends in slicing logs

Listeria monocytogenes can be a concern for further processors as it is an environmental contamination. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) more...

July 2014

How to decrease water and electricity use for sustainable meat production

“Sustainable” food production has become an important consideration for all producers and processors. Processors of all sizes have made sustainability more...

How to improve product quality, save energy with optimal plant pressurization

Every morning, we typically wake up watching our favorite weather channel and plan our day accordingly. Regardless of our careful planning, there are more...

June 2014

How to perform a waste reuse analysis

For anyone involved in meat production, it is no surprise to hear that reducing waste and reusing manufacturing by-products, like trimmings, fats and more...

Tips for successful beef carcass grading

On average, there are approximately 27 months from the time cows are bred until their offspring are slaughtered. Proper pre-harvest feedlot nutrition more...

May 2014

How to get more value out of the pork loin and belly

When looking at the value of pork cuts throughout the pig, the entire pork industry is still looking for ways to find additional value for pork middle-meats more...

How to prevent food waste during distribution

There is an increasing awareness in the United States about increasing the food supply by decreasing food waste. Reducing food waste has become an important more...

April 2014

How animal care affects meat quality

The industry continues to have a difficult time shaking the common misconception that livestock are treated inhumanely prior to slaughter. Those welfare more...

Ten tips for a good recall plan

A food recall is a voluntary action by a manufacturer or distributor to protect the public from products that may be misbranded or could cause physical more...

March 2014

AMSA Exclusive: Scientific and physiological aspects of animal welfare

The accurate assessment of meat quality requires the consideration of multiple variables that define the characteristics of the specimen. The definition more...

How to optimize the quality of artisan meats

The production of artisan sausages and dried meats has increased in popularity over the last few years and is one of the top food trends in the United more...

Poultry Basics: How live hanging at the reception dock affects quality

Live broilers arrive at the plant either in plastic crates or in stand-alone or drawer containers. Unloading broilers prior to hanging from either plastic more...

February 2014

Three consequences of the growth of kosher and halal meats

Kosher and halal foods are a growing sector of the food processing industry. Based on religious beliefs that govern the production of pure, safe, acceptable more...

Focus on the smokehouse to improve yield

For thermal processed meat and poultry products, the smokehouse is where you can realize significant profit improvement potential with minimal capital more...

January 2014

Use of synthetic and natural antioxidants and antimicrobials to increase shelf-life, safety

This article will discuss the use of antimicrobial and antioxidant technology to increase the shelf-life of fresh sausage, cooked sausage and deli meats more...

A focus on non-meat ingredient functionality

Functional non-meat ingredients include a broad, diverse and continually growing group of ingredients that offer important contributions to processed more...

December 2013

AMSA Exclusive: Emulsions and batters in meat binding

Editor's note: This is part of an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned by the American Meat Science Association in more...

November 2013

Maintaining both yields and food safety with brines and marinades

Brines and marinades can either be an essential part of ingredient formulation in products such as boneless hams, or can add flavors and improve tenderness more...

September 2013

An analysis of the method to evaluate texture

The textural properties of meat products are at least as important to consumers as the product flavor. However, texture is also one of the most challenging more...

August 2013

How to optimize sausage production with pork fat quality

The topic of pork fat quality has certainly gained a new respect in the meat industry. The present definition of “pork fat quality” has been more...

AMSA Exclusive: Fresh sausage production

Editor's note: This is part of an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned by the American Meat Science Association in more...

March 2013

How to ensure proper water principles in controlling Listeria

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that is the second top cause of death from foods in the United States. Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous more...

Validation best practices for small processors

Validation is an essential part of HACCP and food safety systems. However, there is a lot of confusion over exactly what validation is, and how it fits more...

February 2013

The relevance of marbling to the beef industry

Since the first National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) in 1991 – and recurring every five years – identified quality challenges that limit growth more...

December 2012

How to choose between manual and mechanical deboning

Chicken parts, which enjoy a great popularity among consumers for the convenience of cooking and consumption, are obtained from either manual or automatic more...

Worker Safety 101: Understanding the new GHS and hazard communication

The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), known as the Employee Right to Know Standard, has been around since 1983. OSHA has recently revamped the HCS more...

November 2012

Utilizing approved natural antimicrobials to control pathogens in ham

Natural and organic processed meats have been a very significant part of the explosive market growth that has occurred in the natural and organic foods more...

How kosher harvesting affects meat quality

Beef tenderness is one of the most researched attributes of cooked beef. This continued focus is due to the vast number of factors influencing tenderness more...

Maintenance 101: Picking machines in poultry processing (part 3 of 4)

In commercial chicken processing plants the feather removal occurs on-line in two distinct but interrelated and interdependent steps: scalding and mechanical more...

October 2012

Live bird reception: How to increase carcass quality and yield (part 2 of 2)

Market-age broilers are transported to the slaughterhouse either in containers or plastic crates. To prevent transportation mortality and safeguard against more...

Live bird reception: Managing stunning, killing and bleeding for better carcass quality (part 1 of 2)

Stunning, killing and bleeding are inseparable, interrelated operations. Together, they enjoy a major significance in the slaughter process as they can more...

Maintenance 101: Scalders in poultry processing (part 2 of 4)

Conceptually speaking, the evolution of the industrial scalder has been minimal when compared to its ancestor – the boiler used to scald the chickens more...

September 2012

How to improve sliceability of deli meats

Processors spend so much time and energy on product formulations and food safety related to deli meats. Good sliceability is often assumed and can be more...

Managing the control of listeria in a wet processing environment

It is true that "dryer is better" when trying to control Listeria in the RTE environment. When wet operations must exist, they can and must be well-managed more...

Choosing the best packaging for your specific meat cut

With the completion of livestock muscle profiling in the last decade, whole-muscle cuts are increasingly being marketed in the present-day meat industry more...

Maintenance 101: Electric stunners in poultry processing (part 1 of 4)

Except for religious restrictions, broilers must be stunned prior to slaughter and for different reasons: to render birds unconscious and insensitive more...

Increasing consistency and reducing cost with multi-purpose ingredients

Poultry products, both fresh and ready-to eat (RTE), are perishable, and packaging/processing, storage strategies, and/or ingredient technology are commonly more...

Plant Efficiency 101: Capturing methane from bio-waste (part 3 of 3)

Manure is an unavoidable by-product of housing livestock, and it can create problems by emitting methane, odors and carbon dioxide into the air. Biogas more...

August 2012

Plant safety, part 3: Best practices for emergency planning

Lets first establish that an event will occur in your organization, jurisdiction or facility that will require an effective response from all concerned more...

Selecting the right casing for your product

There are several choices to consider for casings, including natural, manufactured collagen, co-extruded collagen and alginate, cellulose, fibrous and more...

Poultry Basics: Obtaining good carcass quality and yield with manual and automatic evisceration

Although a manual line’s performance lay in the hands of its labor force, in automatic lines it depends both on sophisticated equipment and the more...

Plant efficiency 101: Water conservation and recycling (part 2 of 3)

Water used in the plant primarily goes towards meat washing, scalding, waste fuming, cleaning, chilling, sanitizing animal holding areas and disinfecting more...

July 2012

Optimizing meat and poultry product development with ingredient innovations

Product development is usually performed on the bench top by using past experience and supplier information to optimize texture, flavor and appearance more...

Poultry Basics: Scalding and plucking of turkeys for better overall quality

Though seemingly ordinary, scalding and plucking processes are of great importance for their significance for quality, yield and food safety. The process more...

Plant efficiency 101: Better use of energy (part 1 of 3)

Taking measures to reduce energy use by as little as 10 percent can result in as much as $18 billion in savings throughout the manufacturing industry more...

Which phosphate is the best fit for you?

Phosphates are a widely used functional ingredient in meat that are primarily used to limit purge and increase water-holding capacity. In addition, phosphates more...

June 2012

Utilizing fiber as a functional ingredient in further processed meat and poultry

Dietary fibers are complex carbohydrates that are plant-derived, indigestible by humans and either classified as soluble (eg. pectins, gums, non-starch more...

Pre-converted vs. cultured: Which is the best for your natural curing process?

The interest in the indirect curing of meat and poultry products labeled uncured, natural, or organic using vegetable-based sources of nitrate and/or more...

Controlling changes in cooked meat color with packaging

The characteristic dull-brown appearance of cooked meats is due to heat-induced myoglobin denaturation. To minimize the survival of foodborne pathogens more...

May 2012

Evaluating color in meat for QA purposes

Connective tissue can be a challenge in both fresh and processed meat systems, causing challenges to everything from color quality and tenderness to even more...

Pre-slaughter poultry management for high carcass quality and yield

The transfer of market-age broilers from farm to plant is performed through a set of interdependent operations – feed-withdrawal, live catching more...

Improving meat quality by manipulation of connective tissue

From a nutritional standpoint, the muscle proteins in rump steak are every bit as good for us as those in tenderloin. Yet a glance at the latest USDA more...

Managing fat oxidation in cooked meat and poultry products

In meat and poultry processing, it is extremely important to prevent/reduce fat oxidation since this causes quality problems in the finished product. more...

April 2012

How to minimize cross-contamination in drying chambers

Cross-contamination is simply the transference of harmful bacteria or disease-causing microorganisms from one person, object (including food) or place more...

Improving poultry meat texture and yield

The production of boneless, skinless breast is a standard practice in today’s industry. Producing this product efficiently is also important. This more...

Identifying opportunities to reduce environmental impact for beef production

The U.S. beef industry has made remarkable strides in productivity over the past 30 years. A recent study from Washington State University (WSU) demonstrated more...

Complementing your food safety initiatives

In 2003 the American Meat Institute (AMI) developed a “Sanitary Equipment Design Checklist” to aid in the design of equipment that could be more...

March 2012

AMSA Exclusive: How nitrite-containing film stabilizes fresh meat color

Editor's note: This is the second in an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned by the American Meat Science Association more...

Adding value to braised pork products for retail

Over the last decade, pork producers have been looking for ways to add value to lesser and tougher cuts in order to utilize more of the pork carcass and more...

Understanding food labeling for organic, natural and uncured products

The rapid growth of organic, natural and uncured product sectors of the meat and poultry industries over the past several years has resulted in a great more...

Plant safety, part 2: Developing a facility bioterrorism plan

Processors often time think of their own facilities as something no one would want to harm. But is that just complacency talking? Utilize some of the more...

February 2012

AMSA Exclusive: Pickle mixology for better bacon

Editor's note: This is the first in an occasional series of exclusive articles provided by authors commissioned by the American Meat Science Association more...

Plant safety, pt. 1: Behind-the-scenes look at protecting our food supply

With the recent outbreaks of food threats, as well as some of the largest product recalls in recent history, what can emergency managers learn about the more...

From culinary development to large-scale production

Many paths lead to Rome, as the saying goes. The same analogy may be applied to a concept in the creation of a new product from bench top through the more...

Preserving fresh meat appearance with packaging

Since meat color is primarily driven by the pigment myoglobin and the chemical state it is in, processors must develop and maintain pigment forms of expected more...

Preserving fresh meat appearance with ingredients

The color of fresh meat drives consumer perception of quality and freshness – and ultimately drives purchasing decisions. Even small discolorations more...

Successfully incorporating biomapping into a poultry operation

Locating contamination sites in a poultry processing plant can be time consuming and expensive so it must be done in a precise manner. Today there are more...

January 2012

How to reduce drying time in dry/fermented sausage

For centuries, the idea of drying salami in a matter of minutes was considered impossible – and rightly so. It’s a long process that has been more...

Beyond rosemary and celery: Advances in natural/organic curing

The past ten years have brought about a very significant growth in marketing of natural, organic and uncured processed meats – a category of processed more...

Manufacturing high-quality cooked poultry sausages

With appropriate processing techniques and ingredient technology, poultry raw materials can be utilized to produce high-quality sausages such as those more...

How to incorporate nitrates into further processed meat

Although today’s cured meats offer consumers everything from variety to convenience while giving manufacturers improved quality, shelf-life and more...

December 2011

Reducing costs and maintaining quality of least- cost formulation

“It’s easy to make a great batch of sausage; it is difficult to make the same great batch of sausage every day” is a familiar quote more...

Choosing the best antimicrobial for your formulation

“What do I want it to do?” That’s the critical question that needs to be asked when considering an antimicrobial to add to a formulation more...

November 2011

Measuring bacon quality using objective and subjective methods

From fast food restaurants to diners and supermarkets, bacon has become an everyday food item. Evolving beyond its traditional place as a breakfast side more...

October 2011

Composting: An alternative to rendering

U.S. meat processors slaughter more than 150 million head of cattle, hogs, sheep and other livestock per year, according the National Renderers Association more...

Tips for producing uniform clipped products

Both casing and clip need to work together to maintain not only a uniform product diameter but also to prevent damage during the hanging process. No matter more...

September 2011

QC 101: Evaluating color in meat products

There are many reasons to evaluate meat color including evaluating consumer acceptance, determining shelf life and measuring display life. Also, ingredients more...

Effective use of acid marinades

Acidic marinades are commonly used in further-processed products to combat issues with Listeria monocytogenes in fully cooked products. Nearly all Listeria more...

Tips for making high-quality, low-fat pork sausage

A low-fat diet is chosen by many people for various reasons. Even though the low-fat movement is becoming less popular among experts, there is still a more...

Creating tasteful lower-calorie meat products

Calories are a measure of the amount of energy in any substance, including food. Initially, calories were a scientific measure of the ability of a substance more...

August 2011

Decreasing contamination in fresh meat with “friendly” bacteria

In the meat industry, there’s a general negative perception of bacterial contamination – and rightly so in some cases: It raises both food more...

Poultry meat preparation for whole muscle formation

Further processed products make up a large percentage of the market in the poultry industry. Rather than producing whole birds, carcasses are cut up and more...

July 2011

Sustainability 101: Greening up your process

Processing facilities can take several steps toward making their daily operations more sustainable. Employing water conservation strategies and targeting more...

Strategies for maximizing water recycling

The U.S. poultry industry slaughters an estimated 8.8 billion birds per year. Most large processors slaughter 1.25 million birds per week. The poultry more...

Sustainability 101: Identifying opportunities for energy conservation at the plant

The first thing any processor should do before performing a new energy conservation strategy is perform an energy audit. The U.S. Energy Department’s more...

June 2011

Tips for making a safer ham

Ham is one of the most popular processed pork items in production, occupying everything from the center of the plate to sandwiches and salads. Although more...

May 2011

Immersion chilling helps cut campylobacter cases in half

Scientists in New Zealand are reporting that immersion chilling at the end of primary processing helped dramatically cut the number of campylobacteriosis more...

Tips for successful beef carcass grading

A few years ago, a beef processor asked for some help, as management was concerned about their quality grading percentages. This processor had two different more...

Live animal interventions for pathogenic bacteria

A growing body of evidence indicates that, across all production animal species, the status of the live animal has an effect not only on the health of more...

April 2011

Dealing with the new Salmonella performance standards for poultry

Salmonella control in poultry has always been a top priority for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the poultry industry has always more...

Assessing the cross-contamination risk in your plant

When we talk about cross-contamination, most people think of the obvious issue of keeping raw and cooked products separated. This is certainly an important more...

Dealing with new Campylobacter performance standards for poultry

Introduction Campylobacteriosis is the second most-common food borne illness in the United States, second to Salmonellosis. Most of the reported Campylobacteriosis more...

March 2011

Maintaining water immersion chillers

Water immersion is the oldest known poultry chilling method. Immersion chillers are largely accepted and used by poultry companies all over the world more...

Understanding and developing thermal processing schedules

Thermal processing can be considered one of the last “official” steps in the manufacture of processed meat and poultry products.  All more...

Plant Verification 101: Interacting with inspectors before, during and after a study is performed.

First, let’s quickly review the difference between verification and validation.  Verification are those activities that ensure a HACCP or food more...

Bird washer maintenance

The inside-outside bird washer, or simply IOBW, is a helpful tool in the effort to improve the physical and bacteriological quality of chicken carcasses more...

February 2011

Plant Verification 101: Applications of in-plant study results

This is the fourth in a series of articles discussing the design, methods, analysis and application of in-plant research, primarily focused on verification more...

Plant Verification 101: Methodology for collecting microbial growth and other data

This is the third in a series of four articles providing technical and scientific information and opinion on how meat processors can conduct research more...

Frying and filtration systems maintenance

Regardless of the type of oil or frying equipment used in industrial frying systems, a key element in product quality and oil fry life is oil filtration more...

Plant Verification 101: Analyzing data in a statistically appropriate manner

This is the second in a series of four articles providing technical and scientific information and opinion on how meat processors can conduct research more...

Plant Verification 101: Correctly designing a study to provide statistically defensible results

This is the first in a series of four articles providing technical and scientific information and opinion on how meat processors can conduct research more...

January 2011

QC 101: Assessing methods for evaluating texture

Meat texture is a complex physical property of meat products that results from the structure and composition of the product under consideration. Texture more...

Setting the minimum sodium level for maximum yield, minimum cost and best flavor

Researchers and processors have developed many ingredient strategies to aid in the development of processed and marinated meat products with reduced sodium more...

Working with dietary fibers as fillers for emulsified products

Dietary fiber is a popular addition to emulsified meat products, providing several distinct benefits including better moisture retention and fat replacement more...

Stuffer maintenance: Oil in, water out

As the saying goes, two things the public wouldn’t want to see made are laws and sausage. The latter would be even less appealing if meat processors more...

QC 101: Measuring H2O-holding capacity in meat products

The ability of meat to absorb and retain water is a critical property of meat products that has major implications for both consumer acceptance and commercial more...

December 2010

Properly applying carrageenan in breaded and marinated poultry

Commercial carrageenans can be used in further processed poultry products to improve product quality. The three types of carrageenans that are available more...

How ozone, ultraviolet and filtration systems work with surface sanitation to optimize food safety

Equipment, facilities, utensils and even product itself can be a major source of bacterial contamination in a meat processing environment. Ozone, ultraviolet more...

November 2010

Sausage 101: Manufacturing Italian sausages

Traditionally, the varieties of Italian sausages are many-fold: Genoa salami, ciauscolo, mortadella, nduja, coppa and sopressata are fairly common in more...

Obtaining optimal quality in shredded meat products

Shredded meat is a great way to add value to cuts with lower consumer demand. Shredded meats are commonly a “barbecue” item and as such have more...

October 2010

Lowering microbial loads in your rendering operation

According to the National Renderers Association, North American industry renders and recycles about 59 billion pounds of inedible animal by-products annually more...

Meat proteins 101: Improving flavor, color and shelf life with antioxidants

Antioxidants are a valuable ingredient in many meat product formulations. To effectively use antioxidants, it is best if you know what an antioxidant more...

Understanding the effects of tumbling, extrusion, forming and injecting on protein functionality

Meat is composed of water, protein and fat; however, the ability of a processor to make many meat products, such as sausage, boneless hams or formed roast more...

September 2010

Correct application of foam sanitizers

Implementing an effective cleaning and sanitizing program is an essential part of a food safety program. Effective cleaning removes contamination left more...

Adapting coating systems to address health trends

Some consumers are demanding healthier products without wanting to sacrifice flavor and texture. Recent trends and technologies to create healthier breaded more...

August 2010

MAP packaging: Balancing oxygen levels to enhance fresh meat color

The color of fresh meat is a particularly fragile property of meat cuts in retail display and one that is also very important to consumers’ impressions more...

July 2010

Meat proteins 101: Optimizing performance with phosphates

Proteins are biological products designed for a wide variety of functions in living organisms. Because of that, proteins also have a wide variety of properties more...

Managing the control of listeria in a wet processing environment

Steve Tsuyuki (tsuyukst@mapleleaf.ca) of Maple Leaf Consumer Foods and John Weisgerber (jcweisgerber@gmail.com) of Weisgerber Consulting LLC contributed more...

Dealing with PSE meat in poultry deli meat applications

Casey M. Owens, associate professor at the University of Arkansas Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, contributed this piece. The further processing more...

June 2010

Managing relative humidity in a dry processing environment

Meat processing usually occurs in a high-humidity environment due to the large amount of water used during processing, the nature of the processing environment more...

Sausage 101: Basic manufacturing of specialty chorizo

The pace of growth of the Hispanic population in the United States is strongly influencing the food industry, and one result is a larger selection of more...

Strategies for reducing sodium content in marinated poultry products

Sodium chloride and sodium phosphates are commonly used to improve the yields, tenderness and flavor of marinated poultry products. The chloride and phosphate more...

May 2010

Controlling listeria in dried meat snacks

Dried meat snacks have become popular with a broad segment of the population in part due to their flavor, but also because some varieties, such as jerky more...

April 2010

Improving microbial control without chemicals

While thermal pasteurization of liquid foods is well established and satisfactory as a decontamination treatment, it does not suit solid foods such as more...

Improving productivity on the beef cut-up line

Meat processors must control their productivity and yields to remain competitive. Yields are an important indicator to measure efficiency, product quality more...

Improving yield with proper shackling

The act of placing a bird in a shackle may seem like a simple task with little consequence, yet it can affect the bird's grade, its progress through the more...

Applying statistical process control to improve product quality

Statistical process control (SPC) is the application of statistical methods to information obtained from a manufacturing process to ensure the quality more...

March 2010

Sanitizing animal handling areas

There are multiple reasons to keep animal handling areas clean and sanitary. Pathogen reduction is always a good idea, and proper sanitation of animal more...

February 2010

Meat proteins 101: Improving functionality with salt

The ability of meat proteins to perform during processing so that finished products are highly palatable, attractive and cost-effective is often described more...

Reducing trim loss during poultry deboning

Boneless, skinless poultry meat is here to stay. It is quicker and easier to cook than bone-in product, and there is no waste to the consumer. However more...

Improving testing protocols for quality and safety on the ground beef line

Ground beef has been under intense scrutiny for the last two decades. However, even with all of the changes in the raw materials, processing and inspection more...

Applying approved in-plant microbial interventions

The use of antimicrobial chemicals on the poultry eviscerating line is allowed to insure that carcasses accidentally contaminated with digestive tract more...

January 2010

Managing temperatures during beef hot dog manufacturing

For this article, beef hot dogs are assumed to be emulsified, small-diameter, fully cooked sausages produced using either a bowl chopper or an emulsifier more...

December 2009

Harvesting high-quality giblets

Harvesting giblets may seem like a very simple operation but with today's automation, it can be messy. Giblet harvest can be done mechanically or manually more...

Maximizing skinner yield and output

Skinners are essential for high-volume meat fabrication, especially fresh pork processing. Skinner yields and outputs can be affected by several factors more...

Optimal chiller operation for microbial control

The importance of proper chiller operation cannot be overstated. Many studies confirm that a well operated chiller significantly reduces Salmonella prevalence more...

November 2009

Leveraging non-meat proteins to enhance product texture and water binding

Non-meat proteins are commonly used in the fabrication of meat products. These proteins have specific characteristics and functionality, but generally more...

October 2009

Optimizing breading systems for adhesion and pickup

Further processing of poultry products has grown drastically over the past several decades. It now represents the largest segment of marketed poultry more...

Tips to effectively defrost raw materials for further processing

A good percentage of the meat used for further processing comes into plants as frozen blocks. Much of the quality of this meat is affected by the way more...

September 2009

Raw materials for formed products: a QC checklist

Formed products provide alternative marketing options for processors that are grinding and are the primary business for many meat companies. Whether formed more...

Bone detection and microbial count: a QC checklist for raw poultry trim

When either producing or purchasing raw poultry meat for production of further processed products, it is critical that all of the factors which could more...

Optimizing product uniformity when cooking with continuous ovens

Continuous ovens are an efficient method of cooking many meat products, but do not allow for easy "on the fly" adjustments to account for differences more...

Tips for cutting perfect cubes of precooked meats

The first cut may not always be the deepest, but it can cut a wide swath through a processing line if it isn't properly executed. In the case of precooked more...

July 2009

Controlling fat quality and composition to enhance emulsion stability

Many factors influence emulsion stability in a meat batter. However, fat and how it is handled play a major role in obtaining a stable meat emulsion. more...

Manufacturing dry-cured ham

Dry-cured hams come in many varieties whose origins span the globe, and although most of them are made using the same basic procedures, each type and more...

June 2009

Controlling temperature to ensure safer injected products

Temperature control is among the most important tools ensuring the safety and shelf life of many meat products. Any physical action or handling of product more...

Processing high-quality poultry hot dogs

Poultry is a common ingredient of the American hot dog, so it was only a matter of time before processors began marketing poultry franks as alternatives more...

May 2009

Matching the right sanitizer to the job

Meat and poultry processors are faced with the questions, "What sanitizer should I use for my operations? Which is the right one?" There is no right or more...

Ensuring quality in mechanically deboned poultry meat

Mechanically separated poultry meat provides a mechanism to harvest poultry meat for use in sausages, hot dogs, deli meats, soup mixes and other products more...

Manufacturing restructured meat products

As the market continues to get more competitive and consumer and foodservice operations demand easy-to-prepare, consistent, higher-quality, flavorful more...

April 2009

Selecting a contract laboratory for microbial testing

The decision to use a particular laboratory for testing can be critical when you are feeding the public. Ensuring you get valid and reproducible results more...

Preventative steps to curb Listeria in processed poultry

Listeria monocytogenes is one of the few pathogens found in food that can multiply under refrigeration. It is more resistant to freezing, drying, high more...

Three tips for creating more stable meat emulsions

An emulsion is a colloidal suspension of two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water. Usually, a non-polar liquid is dispersed within a polar liquid more...

Leveraging poultry proteins to enhance product quality

Protein ingredients play a key roll in the fabrication of further processed poultry products. In recent years, research has yielded new protein ingredients more...

March 2009

Tips to improve speed and uniformity in non-emulsion stuffing

Producing a high-quality whole-muscle product begins with high-quality raw materials. Good meat, a good formulation, adequate temperatures at each step more...

Developing a chilling protocol for cooked meats

The past 20 years or so have brought immense changes in the concepts and procedures used to improve the safety of cooked, ready-to-eat meat and poultry more...

Using collagen to improve ham texture and yields

Until recent years, collagen was considered a protein of low value. Processed products made from meat with a lot of connective tissue — the main more...

February 2009

Using pre-rigor meat to improve sausage yield and texture

One of the most fragile and variable properties of meat as a raw material for sausage products is the ability of meat to bind and retain water during more...

Manufacturing semi-dry fermented sausages

Dry and semi-dry sausages are not the same. Each requires different raw materials and ingredients, and different steps during its manufacturing. This more...

January 2009

Three critical steps to maximize sliced bacon yield

Since U.S. regulations state that cooked bacon yields are not to be greater than 1 percent above raw weight, bacon processing must be carefully controlled more...

December 2008

Maximum coverage for rubs

Flavor. An appealing roast-brown appearance. Moisture retention, binding and tenderness. Meat processors use dry rub applications for the number of ways more...

Determining ideal injection levels for fresh pork

Injection — also referred to as enhancement or pumping — is a common process for much fresh pork. Injection of fresh pork has been shown to more...

How, when and why to rotate sanitizers

Whatever one may think of the effectiveness of HACCP, it is useless in a meat plant without sanitizers and an effective sanitation plan. So say Catherine more...

October 2008

How, when and why to update SSOPs

A Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures document (SSOP) contains written procedures that an establishment must develop and implement to prevent product more...

How and when to properly sanitize coolers

Bacteria require, nutrients, moisture and proper environment to grow and reproduce. Unfortunately, all of these conditions are met in the average poultry more...

September 2008

Live handling: 5 critical points that affect product quality

In nearly every poultry processing plant there is a quality control person or program. The duties include taking samples and collecting data to measure more...

Managing QA/QC on the deli line

Deli meats can provide many quality assurance challenges because they incorporate all facets of meat processing — raw materials, formulation, processing more...

August 2008

Preventing biofilms in cold storage areas

A biofilm essentially is a cocktail of microorganisms that forms on food-contact surfaces. Typically spiked with the likes of Listeria monocytogenes and more...

July 2008

Meeting animal handling standards for cattle

In March 2008, USDA reissued instructions to its Public Health Veterinarians (PHVs) on conducting and documenting humane handling activities at federally more...

Creating low pH environments to inhibit microbial growth in fresh meats

Marination of fresh meat, particularly pork products, has become an increasingly common means of merchandising conventional cuts with new flavors, better more...

Sausage manufacturing basics

The sausage category involves a wide variety of products, but this article will focus on emulsion-type sausages. These are generally made of a mixture more...

Managing poultry hanging for yield

The process of getting birds from the cage to the stunner is rarely considered a serious potential source yield loss, but this area can actually have more...

June 2008

Live hog handling and its effect on product quality

One of the most important — and often overlooked — considerations of meat quality is the "quality" of the live animal being slaughtered. Without more...

Using your stuffing machine for portion control

Stuffing machines have been used for many years in the meat industry. There are two common types of stuffing equipment used currently: vane-type stuffers more...

May 2008

Determining ideal injection levels for fresh beef products

"Injection," "marination" and "enhancement" are terms often tossed around rather loosely when discussing the addition of various ingredients to intact more...

Avoiding cross-contamination during injection

Even when processors clean and disinfect processing equipment and machinery daily, cross-contamination can still happen if the surface of the meat harbors more...

Precision cutting to maximize steak yield

When cutting subprimals into steaks, yields mean profit. The title of this article refers to "precision cutting" so let's first define precision — more...

April 2008

Maintaining proper temperature, pH and filtration in the scalder for food safety

For years, poultry companies have known that they can significantly improve finished whole-ready-to-cook WOG yield by lowering scalder temperatures. However more...

Setting (and maintaining) safety standards with raw materials suppliers

The HACCP system has become known as a tool to evaluate hazards from "the farm to the fork." The only way to guarantee the safety of food is to consider more...

March 2008

Producing emulsified products without fat pockets

The most abundant proteins in muscle fibers, actin and myosin, are insoluble in water, but can be solubilized through physical action in solutions containing more...

Modulating fryer oil temperatures for specific product types

If an oil's frying temperature doesn't conform to specs, myriad problems can occur. Oil transfers thermal energy from the fryer's heating unit to the more...

Keeping packaging areas pathogen-free

Most ready-to-eat products are consumed right out of the package, with little or no cooking involved. During processing, RTE products receive a lethality more...

Working with clean-in-place systems

Clean-in-place systems are powerful sanitation tools that can be used to easily and thoroughly clean facilities and equipment. CIP systems are most commonly more...

February 2008

Optimizing water quality for meat and poultry processing

Water is a major component of every meat and poultry plant. While the quantity of water needed for washing and cleaning is copious — poultry processors more...

Testing poultry boning yield

There is no perfect method for taking raw poultry meat off of the bone. As a result, there is always loss of some tissue that could have been sold for more...

January 2008

Managing QA/QC on the sausage line

More and more sausage makers are looking to introduce process controls to activities ranging from stuffing and linking to hanging and packaging, the goal more...

Picking finger selection and maintenance

While the feather-removal process in the United States is called "picking," the feathers are not actually picked. Instead, they are rubbed off of the more...

December 2007

Controlling temperature variations in whole-muscle meats

Whole muscle cuts such as hams and beef roasts can be challenging to cook properly, especially if a lower cooked temperature is desired. Final cooking more...

Ensuring optimal distribution of marinades and brines

Injected, marinated meat products are among the highest-margin products in the meat industry, but uneven distribution of marinades and brines can result more...

November 2007

Developing test-and-hold protocols

Holding raw materials and finished product to test for specific pathogens such as E. coli O157 has become a standard operating procedure for many meat more...

Is your E. coli program sufficient to prevent salmonella?

Although it is confronting one of the worst spikes in E. coli-related outbreaks in years, the U.S. beef industry is no stranger to illness resulting from more...

October 2007

Sanitation tips that save water

While filtering and reusing sanitation water remain the primary means of conserving water in processing plants, there are other in-plant strategies and more...

Listeria busters: Antimicrobials for ready-to-eat meats

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has had its eye on further processed meats for some time, its latest initiative seeking to deploy inspection more...

September 2007

How to handle material rework

A recent study by researchers from Cardiff University in Wales found that at some point in the supply chain, 67 percent of meat product required rework more...

Regulating temperature and humidity for food safety in dry and semi-dry sausages

Dry and semi-dry sausages mark the pinnacle of sausage making, but regulatory and food safety concerns have limited production to specialty shops. Providing more...

August 2007

Essential elements of effective carcass stimulation

Electrical stimulation of beef carcasses has been shown to improve beef carcass quality, in the areas of both appearance and tenderness. The reason? Carcasses more...

The ABCs of automated evisceration

Evisceration has changed dramatically over the last 30 years, but the problems associated with the process have changed very little. Along with dramatic more...

July 2007

Leveraging chemical interventions to fight meat and poultry pathogens

Chemical interventions aim to inhibit or eliminate microorganisms by altering a meat's surface pH with organic products. The main disadvantage of any more...

Freezing with NH3: Safety and maintenance basics

Since ammonia, which most commonly fuels refrigeration systems in the United States, moves heat more efficiently than other refrigeration gases, especially more...

Temperature, ingredient and handling tips to ensure better ground pork products

Guidelines for handling and processing different meats generally are very similar, yet pork features unique characteristics processors need to keep in more...

June 2007

Integrating your traceability system up- and downstream

Traceability isn't the law — at least not yet — but it's a rule of thumb for a growing number of retail and foodservice chains. So, what should more...

Command and control: Tips for organizing your sanitation teams

With food safety an increasing concern in the meat industry, sanitation management is more important than ever. The catch is, sanitation sometimes is more...

May 2007

Precision portioning for meat snacks

Dried meat snacks, whether whole-muscle or so-called comminuted meat products, require careful attention to portion control, since the removal of moisture more...

Guidelines for developing a level 1, 2 or 3 listeria control program

Determining the appropriate level of listeria control as defined by USDA is difficult. It calls for evaluating your operations in terms of your process more...

April 2007

Maintaining flavor and texture without nitrates or nitrites

With the growth of the natural/organic market, there is growing interest in alternatives to nitrates and nitrites for processed meat products. Although more...

Keep it kosher: A processing checklist

Kosher processing is a time- and labor-intensive endeavor with very specific demands. Even without consideration of kosher slaughter requirements, the more...

March 2007

Tips for better logistics control

With retail and foodservice operations becoming increasingly vigilant about food-borne pathogens and allergens, processors often are required to prove more...

Improving QC inspection of raw material

The handling of raw materials has always been an important factor in the production of high-quality products. Recently, the standard use of letters of more...

February 2007

Keep it clean: Tips for maintaining your deli slicer

Deli slicers that aren't regularly cleaned and maintained can lead to uneven product, poor yields and food-safety problems. Accordingly, processors must more...

Ensuring fresh taste in cooked beef

Because of their profit potential, fully cooked beef product is becoming a staple in retail meat departments. Processing these products is not without more...

January 2007

White glove inspection: Avoiding sanitizer and disinfectant residues

Plant sanitation is an ongoing process that can lead to the build-up of harmful chemicals if residue is allowed to remain. In fact, ensuring that residues more...

December 2006

Allergen alert: Strategies for avoiding cross-contamination in meat processing

When consumers think of food recalls, pathogens on the order of E. coli and salmonella usually come to mind. But most processors know that lower-profile more...

November 2006

Is gas stunning hogs the way to go?

Electrical stunning, which renders pigs, chickens and other animals insensible before they are slaughtered, has been in use for a century. However, gas more...

October 2006

Keep it clean: Tips to keep microbes out of your brines

Brining meat — particularly hams, sausages, franks and bacon — requires the encouragement of good microbes, which improve color, flavor and more...

September 2006

Weigh to go: Quick tricks to optimize your checkweigher's performance

Checkweighers are high-tech, rugged machines, but like all equipment, they are subject to failure. Your checkweigher was perfectly calibrated when it more...

August 2006

Into the frying pan: Tips to save oil while frying

If you consider that a 1,200-gallon fryer requires about a quarter of a million gallons of oil per year to operate, it becomes pretty clear pretty quickly more...

June 2006

Critter control: Design strategies to keep pests outside and away from your line

Inspectors — and meat processors — hate flies and cockroaches so much that so much as a single insect has been known to grind production lines more...

May 2006

Total cleaning confidence: Training the troops for the sanitation shift

The best conceived Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) are of little value if the employees actually performing the work don't have the information more...

April 2006

Ergonomics: A common sense approach to a healthier workforce

OSHA's ergonomic standard may have collapsed under its own weight, and injury rates in meat plants may have subsided somewhat, but ergonomic injuries more...

Group, interleave, stack! An updated guide to running your patty line

As processors move to more complex and uniquely formed patties, including "low-pressure" product that looks handmade (See Tech Connection in the April more...

March 2006

Haste makes waste: Precision cutting techniques for the Flat Iron and other value cuts

Here's a question: What is the second-most tender muscle in the beef carcass? Answer: the infraspinatus, which also is used to process the Flat Iron steak more...

February 2006

Drain traps: Three practical tips to avoid biofilms

Biofilms are insidious mixtures of bacteria, proteins and other biological materials that typically form on the surfaces of food processing equipment more...

January 2006

The three deadly sins of carcass chilling

Sour rounds, heat rings, and pale watery muscles are all the result of improper carcass chilling, although the primary purpose of chilling is to slow more...