The hog sector want the bans from China, Vietnam, and Cambodia in order to prevent the spread of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS).
The government is being urged ion by the National Federation of Hog Farmers (NFHFI) to impose a ban on importing pork from the three countries.
According to reports, the Philippines does not currently import pork from China due to its own pork shortage, a ban will be a stricter prohibition to the entry of pork should a softening of price occur in China’s domestic market.
"If we have a ban that will be a deterrent even to smuggling. At present if they want to export to us, we don’t have a policy banning the import," NFHFI vice chairman Renato R. Eleria said.
Serious health risk
"Allowing the entry of pork imports from these countries would further expose the local hog industry to this strain of virus and pose a serious health to our people," stated the NFHFI in a letter to Department of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap.
"It will be very devastating once we have the disease again since we don’t have a vaccine yet. That will surely make the price of pork go up again. We should have a specific vaccine (or cure) for the specific sub-type infecting us, not a general type of vaccine," said JSR Hog Farms Association president Alex M. Reyes.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Tips to optimize your grinding operation
Tips to optimize your grinding operation
By Ana Elia Rocha McGuire on 7/1/2008
Particle reduction is the basic technology for producing many meat products. During the process of grinding meat, many factors affect quality and must be controlled. These factors include the quality of raw materials, temperature during processing and equipment maintenance.
Although it won't be covered in this article, it's important to remember that good practices, hygiene and sanitation are extremely important during the production of ground products, and should always be executed and monitored.
Use high-quality raw materials.
To obtain a good product, it is necessary to use high (or acceptable)-quality meat, fresh and cold, with high water-retention capacity. Hamburgers made with Utility-grade pieces (the lowest-quality meat according to USDA) were less accepted by consumers than those made with Choice quality meat from the chest. Avoid using meat with a pH under 5.5 and a pale or discolored appearance.
Although not always practical in today's grinding operations, pre-rigor meats are considered excellent for yielding high-quality finished products, and should be an option.
Since it is softer than muscle, fat content in the meat can affect the efficiency of bone-removal systems in the grinders. The source of fat must also be considered. Pork fat is softer than beef fat at the same temperature because they have different degrees of unsaturation. So, when pressure is developed during grinding, pork products are more susceptible to smearing. To avoid this, pork grinding should be handled at slightly lower temperatures than beef grinding. One study suggested that a different bone-removal system design might be better for beef as opposed to pork products, and for high-fat as opposed to low-fat mixtures.
Other factors that affect product quality are the amount of bone chips, cartilage and connective tissue, too much of which may result in consumer rejection.
Keep a low temperature during grinding.
Temperature is always a control measurement in meat processing, both from a qualitative and microbiological standpoint. Given that, it is critical to try to use meat at a temperature of 28 degrees F or lower. Usually the temperature of the system rises a couple of degrees after grinding, making the meat more prone to microbial proliferation, but if you start with very cold meat, you should be fine.
Also, meat temperature affects equipment performance during grinding. A study investigated the effect of meat temperature, particle size and grinding systems on removal of bone chips from ground beef. It was observed that cold grinding temperatures (28 degrees F) resulted in a higher percentage of bone chips removed by the bone-removal system compared to higher grinding temperatures (38 degrees F).
Maintain equipment in good condition.
Since grinding meat results in more exposed surface, those meat components prone to oxidation — fat and myoglobin, for example — are then more susceptible to changes, because they are exposed to oxygen and catalysts. As grinder parts wear with use, the equipment shears less and smears more, increasing the exposed surface area of the meat even more. Increased friction raises the processing temperature of fat and myoglobin, promoting an even greater level of oxidation.
In a study of the effects of meat grinder wear on oxidation in fresh pork sausages, worn grinder hardware caused greater myoglobin oxidation in the sausages after frozen storage than sharp hardware. Worn hardware also caused greater grinding temperature increases than sharp equipment.
Therefore, equipment blades and plates must be perfectly sharpened and kept in good condition. Keeping grinder blades sharp will maintain a high-quality grind. This will allow proper contact between knife and plate across the cutting surface.
It is important to note that a new or newly sharpened part should never be put with another part that is worn. Mismatched sets will result in premature failure of both parts.
By Ana Elia Rocha McGuire on 7/1/2008
Particle reduction is the basic technology for producing many meat products. During the process of grinding meat, many factors affect quality and must be controlled. These factors include the quality of raw materials, temperature during processing and equipment maintenance.
Although it won't be covered in this article, it's important to remember that good practices, hygiene and sanitation are extremely important during the production of ground products, and should always be executed and monitored.
Use high-quality raw materials.
To obtain a good product, it is necessary to use high (or acceptable)-quality meat, fresh and cold, with high water-retention capacity. Hamburgers made with Utility-grade pieces (the lowest-quality meat according to USDA) were less accepted by consumers than those made with Choice quality meat from the chest. Avoid using meat with a pH under 5.5 and a pale or discolored appearance.
Although not always practical in today's grinding operations, pre-rigor meats are considered excellent for yielding high-quality finished products, and should be an option.
Since it is softer than muscle, fat content in the meat can affect the efficiency of bone-removal systems in the grinders. The source of fat must also be considered. Pork fat is softer than beef fat at the same temperature because they have different degrees of unsaturation. So, when pressure is developed during grinding, pork products are more susceptible to smearing. To avoid this, pork grinding should be handled at slightly lower temperatures than beef grinding. One study suggested that a different bone-removal system design might be better for beef as opposed to pork products, and for high-fat as opposed to low-fat mixtures.
Other factors that affect product quality are the amount of bone chips, cartilage and connective tissue, too much of which may result in consumer rejection.
Keep a low temperature during grinding.
Temperature is always a control measurement in meat processing, both from a qualitative and microbiological standpoint. Given that, it is critical to try to use meat at a temperature of 28 degrees F or lower. Usually the temperature of the system rises a couple of degrees after grinding, making the meat more prone to microbial proliferation, but if you start with very cold meat, you should be fine.
Also, meat temperature affects equipment performance during grinding. A study investigated the effect of meat temperature, particle size and grinding systems on removal of bone chips from ground beef. It was observed that cold grinding temperatures (28 degrees F) resulted in a higher percentage of bone chips removed by the bone-removal system compared to higher grinding temperatures (38 degrees F).
Maintain equipment in good condition.
Since grinding meat results in more exposed surface, those meat components prone to oxidation — fat and myoglobin, for example — are then more susceptible to changes, because they are exposed to oxygen and catalysts. As grinder parts wear with use, the equipment shears less and smears more, increasing the exposed surface area of the meat even more. Increased friction raises the processing temperature of fat and myoglobin, promoting an even greater level of oxidation.
In a study of the effects of meat grinder wear on oxidation in fresh pork sausages, worn grinder hardware caused greater myoglobin oxidation in the sausages after frozen storage than sharp hardware. Worn hardware also caused greater grinding temperature increases than sharp equipment.
Therefore, equipment blades and plates must be perfectly sharpened and kept in good condition. Keeping grinder blades sharp will maintain a high-quality grind. This will allow proper contact between knife and plate across the cutting surface.
It is important to note that a new or newly sharpened part should never be put with another part that is worn. Mismatched sets will result in premature failure of both parts.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Maple Leaf Foods puts pork plant up for sale
(MEATPOULTRY.com, July 22, 2008)
by Bryan Salvage
TORONTO ― Maple Leaf Foods Inc. intends to sell its Burlington, Ont., pork-processing business. The company is currently soliciting bids and anticipates a sale will be completed by the end of 2008.
Maple Leaf’s decision to sell the business results from a re-focusing of the company’s protein operations toward more value-added products. The transition involves divestiture or exit of several of primary processing businesses.
"Our Burlington business is well established, with long-standing customer relationships, a skilled and stable workforce and an excellent mix of value-added business," said Michael Vels, chief financial officer of Maple Leaf Foods. "It operates one of the more efficient pork processing plants in North America, strategically located close to high density markets. Our investments in the plant and our people have resulted in a profitable business that represents an excellent investment in the global pork processing industry."
The plant currently is processing 42,000 hogs per week, but has a processing capacity of up to 50,000 hogs per week.
by Bryan Salvage
TORONTO ― Maple Leaf Foods Inc. intends to sell its Burlington, Ont., pork-processing business. The company is currently soliciting bids and anticipates a sale will be completed by the end of 2008.
Maple Leaf’s decision to sell the business results from a re-focusing of the company’s protein operations toward more value-added products. The transition involves divestiture or exit of several of primary processing businesses.
"Our Burlington business is well established, with long-standing customer relationships, a skilled and stable workforce and an excellent mix of value-added business," said Michael Vels, chief financial officer of Maple Leaf Foods. "It operates one of the more efficient pork processing plants in North America, strategically located close to high density markets. Our investments in the plant and our people have resulted in a profitable business that represents an excellent investment in the global pork processing industry."
The plant currently is processing 42,000 hogs per week, but has a processing capacity of up to 50,000 hogs per week.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Imported poultry not as safe as Danish poultry
The Denmark Food Authority announced that an EU ruling will soon allow Denmark to ban imports of salmonella-infected food products.
The Serum Institute in Denmark has stated that the worst outbreak of salmonella in 15 years has afflicted thousands of Danes in just a matter of weeks. The Food Authority has been testing hundreds of food samples to locate the source, which is pointing towards pork or poultry. As yet, however, there is no answer.
It is reported that the authority came under criticism this week when it was reported that it had failed to carry out more than 200 planned inspections of meat shipments in 2007.
The authority said that it expects to get permission from the European Commission by the end of 2008 to stop the importation of salmonella-infected poultry and eggs, according to Politiken newspaper.
They have apparently spent the past 2 years documenting the low levels of salmonella in Danish chickens to the commission, so that they can prove that the imported poultry is not as safe as Danish poultry.
The case is controversial because it would break the EU's principle of the free market, whereby well-known businesses can freely sell their products to all member states. The authority is basing its argument on the fact that both Sweden and Finland, both of which have recorded low salmonella levels, got permission to refuse salmonella-infected imports when they joined the EU in 1995.
The Food Authority states that there is salmonella in one out of every 60 Danish chickens, while one out of every 7 imported chickens is infected.
According to the authority, the EU has said that if Danish food producers can bring their salmonella level down to 1-2% in domestic chickens then the same rules could apply as in Sweden. Denmark's salmonella level in domestic poultry lies close to the boundaries.
The Serum Institute in Denmark has stated that the worst outbreak of salmonella in 15 years has afflicted thousands of Danes in just a matter of weeks. The Food Authority has been testing hundreds of food samples to locate the source, which is pointing towards pork or poultry. As yet, however, there is no answer.
It is reported that the authority came under criticism this week when it was reported that it had failed to carry out more than 200 planned inspections of meat shipments in 2007.
The authority said that it expects to get permission from the European Commission by the end of 2008 to stop the importation of salmonella-infected poultry and eggs, according to Politiken newspaper.
They have apparently spent the past 2 years documenting the low levels of salmonella in Danish chickens to the commission, so that they can prove that the imported poultry is not as safe as Danish poultry.
The case is controversial because it would break the EU's principle of the free market, whereby well-known businesses can freely sell their products to all member states. The authority is basing its argument on the fact that both Sweden and Finland, both of which have recorded low salmonella levels, got permission to refuse salmonella-infected imports when they joined the EU in 1995.
The Food Authority states that there is salmonella in one out of every 60 Danish chickens, while one out of every 7 imported chickens is infected.
According to the authority, the EU has said that if Danish food producers can bring their salmonella level down to 1-2% in domestic chickens then the same rules could apply as in Sweden. Denmark's salmonella level in domestic poultry lies close to the boundaries.
Brazil to be world’s second-largest chicken producer
At the end of 2008, it is expected that Brazil will overtake China in terms of chicken production, becoming the world's second-largest producer behind the US.
According to Francisco Turra, president of the Brazilian Association of Chicken Producers and Exporters (Abef), this is due to chicken production in China being rather stagnant, whilst the Brazilian industry, which is more competitive than that of other countries at a time of high corn prices, is able to expand its activities to meet both domestic and external demand.
“ China has practically stopped growing, " said Turra, adding that the country produces 12 million tonnes of chicken meat per year. "I think that Brazil could end the year with production of 12.5 million tonnes."
Feed prices
Turra went on to say that the Brazilian industry is less affected than other countries by the rise in price of raw materials as the country has a corn surplus and will have up to 10 million tonnes for export this year.
In addition to consistent domestic consumption, the Brazilian industry also expects to export approx. 800,000 extra tonnes of meat in 2008, as compared with 2007, with total exports of almost 4 mln t generating revenue of US$6.5 bln ($1,5 bln more than 2007).
According to Francisco Turra, president of the Brazilian Association of Chicken Producers and Exporters (Abef), this is due to chicken production in China being rather stagnant, whilst the Brazilian industry, which is more competitive than that of other countries at a time of high corn prices, is able to expand its activities to meet both domestic and external demand.
“ China has practically stopped growing, " said Turra, adding that the country produces 12 million tonnes of chicken meat per year. "I think that Brazil could end the year with production of 12.5 million tonnes."
Feed prices
Turra went on to say that the Brazilian industry is less affected than other countries by the rise in price of raw materials as the country has a corn surplus and will have up to 10 million tonnes for export this year.
In addition to consistent domestic consumption, the Brazilian industry also expects to export approx. 800,000 extra tonnes of meat in 2008, as compared with 2007, with total exports of almost 4 mln t generating revenue of US$6.5 bln ($1,5 bln more than 2007).
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Three more states report E. coli cases linked to Nebraska Beef
By Ann Bagel Storck on 7/16/2008, MeatingPlace.com
New York, Kentucky and Indiana each have reported one lab-confirmed case of a bacterial E. coli O157:H7 infection matching the 41 previously reported cases in Ohio and Michigan, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The Kentucky patient lives near Ohio, but the New York and Indiana patients did not travel to either of the states where the outbreak began, according to the CDC.
The outbreak had been traced to beef sold in Kroger stores that had been supplied by Nebraska Beef, which ultimately recalled more than 5 million pounds of product. (See Neb. Beef recall expands 10-fold on Meatingplace.com, July 7, 2008.)
New York, Kentucky and Indiana each have reported one lab-confirmed case of a bacterial E. coli O157:H7 infection matching the 41 previously reported cases in Ohio and Michigan, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The Kentucky patient lives near Ohio, but the New York and Indiana patients did not travel to either of the states where the outbreak began, according to the CDC.
The outbreak had been traced to beef sold in Kroger stores that had been supplied by Nebraska Beef, which ultimately recalled more than 5 million pounds of product. (See Neb. Beef recall expands 10-fold on Meatingplace.com, July 7, 2008.)
Financial Subsidies for Philippine Hog Farmers
The Philippine Department of Agriculture has announced that it will start a P70-million (€1 million) piglet subsidy and feed support program for backyard hog growers hit by Typhoon “Frank.”
P50 million (€700,000) will be used for a piglet dispersal plan and P20 million (€300,000) for animal feed subsidies, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap stated. The rehabilitation package for the livestock sector would also include animal health programs and laboratory services.
Bureau of Animal Industry Director Davinio Catbagan said the DA would also have a massive P30-million vaccination program to protect the hog population against possible diseases such as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome .
“The program is targeted to benefit small backyard farmers, where we aim to vaccinate the entire backyard population to ensure the production of healthy piglets that will grow in time to meet the high demand for pork in the third and fourth quarters of the year,” Catbagan said.
P50 million (€700,000) will be used for a piglet dispersal plan and P20 million (€300,000) for animal feed subsidies, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap stated. The rehabilitation package for the livestock sector would also include animal health programs and laboratory services.
Bureau of Animal Industry Director Davinio Catbagan said the DA would also have a massive P30-million vaccination program to protect the hog population against possible diseases such as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome .
“The program is targeted to benefit small backyard farmers, where we aim to vaccinate the entire backyard population to ensure the production of healthy piglets that will grow in time to meet the high demand for pork in the third and fourth quarters of the year,” Catbagan said.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Abu Dhabi home to new poultry and meat processing plant
One of the largest meat and seafood processing factories in the Middle East is being constructed in Abu Dhabi, with an investment of Dh300 mln (€51 mln).
The retail Emke Group is is establishing the joint venture project in collaboration with Denmark's Rose Poultry, to be located at the Al Ain Industrial City.
Once completed, the project will have an initial manufacturing capacity of 10,000 mt per year with scope for further enhancement in the second phase.
The facility will have two production lines for chicken and frozen convenience meat products and separate line for seafood processing.
It is reported that commercial production will commence in 18-months.
The project, which will manufacture Halal meat, will be operating as per the certification standards of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) in the production of value added meat products from chicken, beef, lamb and seafood.
The retail Emke Group is is establishing the joint venture project in collaboration with Denmark's Rose Poultry, to be located at the Al Ain Industrial City.
Once completed, the project will have an initial manufacturing capacity of 10,000 mt per year with scope for further enhancement in the second phase.
The facility will have two production lines for chicken and frozen convenience meat products and separate line for seafood processing.
It is reported that commercial production will commence in 18-months.
The project, which will manufacture Halal meat, will be operating as per the certification standards of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) in the production of value added meat products from chicken, beef, lamb and seafood.
Brazil slaughtering fewer cattle in '08
A 10 percent decrease in cattle slaughtered year-over-year in the first quarter of 2008 signals Brazil will slaughter fewer cattle this year compared with 2007, an official at Brazil's IBGE statistics told Dow Jones.
"The problem is caused by the lack of animals," said Octavio Costa de Oliveira, IBGE's manager for livestock research.
The firm's latest research indicates Brazil slaughtered 7.1 million head of cattle in the first quarter of 2008, a 10 percent decline from the first quarter of 2007.
DeOliveira added that beef exports dropped 27.6 percent in the first quarter compared with the same period a year ago.
He noted, however, that higher prices more than offset lower export volume. Beef export revenues increased by 5.2 percent in the quarter, as beef prices averaged $3,528 per ton in the first quarter versus $2,426 during the same period in 2007.
"The problem is caused by the lack of animals," said Octavio Costa de Oliveira, IBGE's manager for livestock research.
The firm's latest research indicates Brazil slaughtered 7.1 million head of cattle in the first quarter of 2008, a 10 percent decline from the first quarter of 2007.
DeOliveira added that beef exports dropped 27.6 percent in the first quarter compared with the same period a year ago.
He noted, however, that higher prices more than offset lower export volume. Beef export revenues increased by 5.2 percent in the quarter, as beef prices averaged $3,528 per ton in the first quarter versus $2,426 during the same period in 2007.
Mexico bans poultry imports from Arkansas, USA
Mexico will block poultry imports from Arkansas until further notice, following an outbreak of avian influenza there earlier this month, the Agriculture Ministry said last week. "This precautionary measure is being put into effect to avoid the risk of introduction of the agent into national territory," the ministry said in an " urgent" letter to Mexico's federal meat inspection agency. The strain, which U.S. officials have said is "very low risk" and poses little threat to humans or livestock, was detected at the beginning of June in a flock of 15,000 chickens owned by Tyson Foods, Inc.
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