US Pork exports maintain strong momentum

From: PigProgress.net
http://www.pigprogress.net/news/us-pork-exports-maintain-strong-momentum-2826.html

A 45% jump in pork variety meat exports in February helped overcome a slight decline in pork muscle cuts to power total pork exports to a 4.7% increase in value over February 2008, according to the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

“We anticipated sharp declines in pork exports to certain markets, including China, when compared to the results we saw last year,” said USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng. “But markets such as Japan and Mexico continue to perform extremely well, and US pork is really gaining traction in many key regions across the world. The diversity and global reach of our marketing efforts are really paying off.”

Total US pork exports in February were valued at $368.2 million. Pork muscle cut exports ($305.6 million) declined by about 1% compared to last year, but still remained 45% above the February 2007 value. In terms of volume, pork plus pork variety meat exports of 158,471 metric tonnes (349.3 million pounds) represented an increase of 1% over February 2008 and 57% over February 2007. Through January and February, year-to-date pork plus pork variety meat exports increased 3% in volume over last year to 315,121 metric tonnes (694.7 million pounds) and 6% in value to $728.4 million.

Japan and Asia
Japan continues to be the top-performing value market for US pork. Its February total of 37,774 metric tonnes (83.3 million pounds) valued at $138.6 million outpaced February 2008 by 18% in volume and 32% in value. Mexico showed even more remarkable growth as its February volume (42,458 metric tonnes or 93.6 million pounds) surged by 64% over last year and value ($65.6 million) jumped by 60%.

Other markets showing excellent growth included Taiwan, where pork plus pork variety meat exports doubled in value compared to February 2008 and increased by 107%in volume. Exports to the ASEAN region climbed by 60% in volume and 80%in value, with the Philippines and Singapore leading this region’s gains. Exports to Australia climbed by a similar percentage, increasing by 76% in both volume and value. Exports to the Caribbean jumped by 122% in volume and 114% in value over February of last year, led by a near-tripling of shipments to the Dominican Republic.

Russia and China
Global pork exports are proving to be very resilient, as these gains helped the US pork industry weather steep declines in sales to Russia and China. Year-to-date pork plus pork variety meat exports to Russia have declined 49% in volume and 57% in value compared to January-February 2008. Exports to the China/Hong Kong region are down 46% in volume and 48% in value compared to 2008, with exports to China declining nearly 75%. These results are not particularly surprising, considering both countries’ concerted efforts to increase domestic pork production and reduce their reliance on imports.

China has been particularly aggressive in this area, according to Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia-Pacific region. “China’s efforts to bolster its hog industry include assistance in the form of direct cash subsidies to large-scale farms, tax breaks for hog producers and development of targeted hog-raising counties throughout the country,” Haggard said. “To the extent that these subsidies are creating incentives to expand production, they can have very serious trade implications.”

Canada lifts avian influenza restrictions in B.C.

(MEATPOULTRY.com, April 06, 2009)
by Bryan Salvage


OTTAWA, ONTARIO — All remaining quarantines on birds and bird products in southern British Columbia have been lifted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency as a result of health officials finding no additional cases of avian influenza during testing in the area.

Following the discovery of low pathogenicity H5N2 avian influenza in a commercial poultry operation on Jan. 24, 2009, the movement restrictions were put in place. During the investigation, the C.F.I.A. declared a second operation infected on Feb. 11. Authorities said all birds on the two farms were humanely destroyed and composted on-site in accordance with international standards and provincial environmental requirements.

"The fact that this outbreak was quickly contained and eliminated clearly demonstrates why Canada's animal-health system is among the best in the world," said Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. "The cooperation of affected bird owners, industry and our provincial and municipal partners played a key role in the success of our response."

Infected farms had to remain under C.F.I.A. surveillance for 21 days following the cleaning and disinfecting of barns, vehicles and equipment. Both farms have passed this 21-day period and as a result can now introduce new birds onto the property and resume regular operation.

"The coordinated efforts of all levels of government provided an unprecedented response to this outbreak," said Ron Cantelon, B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Lands. "By working together, we were able to minimize the impact to industry and get those affected back into business as quickly as possible."

C.F.I.A. will conduct broader testing of poultry operations in B.C. as a final step in the outbreak response. Consistent with the guidelines of the World Organization for Animal Health, this surveillance will allow Canada to regain its status as an avian influenza-free country.

OIE Alert - New Castle Disease - Belgium

Information received on 06/04/2009 from Mr Luc Lengelé, Conseiller Général et Chef des Services Vétérinaires , Service Public Fédéral Santé Publique, Service Politique Sanitaire, Animaux et Végétaux , BRUXELLES, Belgium

Three tips for creating more stable meat emulsions

By Ana Elia Rocha McGuire on 4/1/2009
http://www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/technology/details.aspx?item=10030

In this article:
Use high-quality meat and some additional ingredients
Chop just enoughBe aware of fat type and quality
Comments and insights

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. One-third of an emulsion can be an emulsifying agent, which is required for emulsion stability. In meat processing, a meat emulsion is made of a continuous phase (protein) and the discontinuous phase (fat).

In a meat emulsion, meat proteins act as emulsifying agents. Meat proteins must surround the small fat particles to make the emulsion stable before the cooking process.

In the meat, the major structural protein is myosin, and it is the most important of the proteins to ensure fat emulsification and water binding in emulsified meat products.

There are a number of factors that affect emulsion stability, but these three suggestions should be most helpful for achieving a stable emulsion for different meat products.


Use high-quality meat and some additional ingredients
Several factors can interfere with the functionality of myosin and its ability to emulsify fat. Before rigor mortis, myosin is readily available in the muscle of animals, but after rigor mortis myosin and actin — another meat protein — combine, forming actomyosin. In this form, myosin loses some of its water-binding and fat-stabilizing capacities.

The pH of the meat is another factor that must be monitored, since the water-holding capacity of the meat is at its minimum at what is called the iso-electric point (pI) of proteins. The pI is the pH at which the proteins have equal positive and negative charges and therefore cannot attract more positive and/or negative charges, making them unable to bind water. The pI for fresh post-mortem beef and pork generally occurs at a pH of about 5.3.

However, meat pH can be manipulated with the addition of ingredients, and increasing or decreasing pH away from the pI will create more positive and/or negative charges, allowing the proteins to bind water and fat. Salt is an excellent aid to solubilize proteins, but it can also increase the pH of the meat. Phosphates, mainly alkaline ones, will increase the pH of meat to the greatest extent.


Chop just enough
For fat to enter the discontinuous phase, it must be transformed in very small-size particles so extracted meat proteins can coat, entrap and hold the fat droplets, creating a matrix. When chopping time is not sufficient, fat particles will be too large, resulting in an unstable emulsion. On the other hand, if excessive mechanical action is applied — too much chopping — the surface area will be too large, requiring perhaps more protein to coat the fat particles. If there is not enough protein, the result will be an unstable emulsion.

Another effect of over-chopping is an increase in temperature, and depending on the type of fat, a higher or lower temperature can be dangerous (see below). Generally, high temperatures at the end of the chopping process may result in a protein coating of the fat particles that is too thick and inflexible, which will tend to fracture during fat expansion upon cooking. Thinner protein coatings will form a series of pores that could act as "escape valves" to hot expanding fat.

To reduce excessive chopping, the fat portion of the emulsion initially should be ground separately from the lean tissue and added to the chopper or emulsifier later. In general, lean meat ingredients should be well ground and chopped before higher-fat ingredients are added. Final chopping temperatures for fats of beef, pork and poultry origin should be below 63 degrees F, 53 degrees F and 43 degrees F, respectively.


Be aware of fat type and quality
The characteristics of fats can influence emulsion stability. Some evidence suggests that it is easier to emulsify short-chain saturated fatty acids than their longer-chain counterparts. The degree of saturation is also important; in fatty acids with similar chain length, it is easier to emulsify those that are less saturated. Similarly, there seems to be a relationship between the melting point of the fat and its degree of dispersion and absorption by the continuous protein film.

As temperature of the meat emulsion during chopping gets closer to that of the fat melting point, the meat batter viscosity decreases, and since fat particles are less dense than the aqueous phase, they tend to float to the surface. These floating particles are less likely to be coated by the protein film and will be prone to coalesce during the thermal process, resulting in product defects. (See Tips to prevent common product defects in sausage on Meatingplace.)

According to various research in which types of fat have been studied, regardless of the final chopping temperature, at lower levels of fat addition, all kinds of fat yield stable emulsions. However, at higher levels of fat addition, those with higher melting points are more stable.

Foot and Mouth Disease - China - from OIE Alert

Information received on 02/04/2009 from Dr Yu Kangzhen, National Chief Veterinary Officer , Veterinary Bureau , Ministry of Agriculture , Beijing, China (People's Rep. of). Please see details below ........

Philippines bans swine imports from Lebanon and Taiwan

The Philippine government has imposed a temporary ban against the importation of live swine amongst other ruminants from Lebanon and Taiwan following outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in those locations.

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap said the ban was imposed to protect the local livestock industry. The ban was issued shortly after the World Animal Health Organization had validated the disease outbreaks in the swine farms in Taiwan and dairy cattle farms in Lebanon.

Yap said that he has directed officers and inspectors to suspend the processing of all quarantine certificates of live animals to be imported from Taiwan and Lebanon. He also ordered to confiscate all such commodities and by-products originating from these two places.

Brazilian beef processor shuts plants, lays off workers

Brazilian beef processor Independencia SA is shutting three units and laying off 1,400 workers in response to lower demand for beef and falling prices, the privately-owned company said on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

The firm is closing a slaughter house and deboning plant in Mato Grosso as well as a deboning plant and a distribution center, both in Sao Paulo state. In March, the company announced it was closing two other factories, in Goias and Mato Grosso do Sul states, Reuters reported.

The closures come a month after the company commenced a restructuring process under Brazilian and U.S. insolvency laws. (See Brazilian beef company files U.S. bankruptcy proceeding on Meatingplace.com, March 3, 2009.)

"The closure of these units is part of an ongoing program to adjust Independencia's operations to the current market reality, which was severely hit by lower international demand, meat oversupply both in the domestic and the export market, and falling meat prices," Independencia said in a statement.

Since the beginning of what the company called its "adjustment program," Independencia has closed eight of its 23 plants and laid off 6,200 workers, according to Reuters.