Cutting back meat consumption is the new darling cause of pop stars. But if necessary environmental and health goals are to be achieved, the whole supply chain needs to be strumming along in tune.
The first fully-licensed mobile livestock slaughter unit in California will improve animal welfare by eliminating long journeys to slaughter houses and improve meat quality, claims its operator Central Coast Agricultural Cooperative.
Pork processor Smithfield Foods is closing six plants and transferring production to other facilities in a move it claims will enable it to concentrate on growing its higher-margin packaged meat business.
A new study into the nutritional content of kebabs sold in the UK has shown that the late-night take-out could be disastrous for healthy eating, with some doner kebabs racking up as many has 1000 calories without sauce.
French processed meat and poultry supplier LDC reinforces its position in the dynamic French sandwich market, announcing earlier this week that it will buy Entracte, the number four player in the French market for sandwiches.
The salt content of vegetarian sausages and burgers can often be
the same as, or even higher than, their meaty equivalents,
according to a recent survey.
The US Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a
guidance for professionals in the food industry on how to request a
waiver of food safety and regulatory requirements to allow for
testing of new technology.
The acquisitions planned by a major US beef packager - JBS Swift - will have far-reaching effects on the nation's meat packaging industry, according to industry members that have voiced opposition to the deals.
Global packaging brand Cryovac has introduced a co-extruded barrier
top web for its Darfresh vacuum skin packaging range that allows
manufacturers to use high quality printing to differentiate their
products.
Natural extracts company Vitiva has announced its global launch of
a clean label preservative for processed fresh meat that protects
it from rancidity and undesirable organoleptic changes.
A new waterjet portioning system for meat allows processors to
achieve specific fat coverage, shape, weight or size specifications
to meet current market trends, claims its manufacturer.
DSM Food Specialities has developed a new mould and yeast inhibitor
for meat products, said to ensure an even coating of natamycin on
products like sausages and give stronger protection against health
risks.
Cryovac has released a new vacuum packaging machine targeting
processors aiming to make inroads into the ready-to-cook
convenience market, along with two new shrink bags.
A new batching system accurately collects and weighs meat, poultry
and other products, reducing labour requirements for processors,
its manufacturer claims.
A Canadian meat producer is trying to yoke together omega-3 fatty
acids to add to chicken in a way that will boost the meat's
functional value without affecting taste, as the company strives to
label its products accordingly.
A new x-ray and colour vision hybrid system, allows faster poultry
processing, by detecting embedded bones and defects missed during
the deboning of chicken carcasses, its manufacturer claims.
Solutions used by meat processors to improve shelf life and taste
can also help to reducepathogens, including E. coli 0157:H7,
according to a recent study.
Rising raw material prices, considerably higher energy costs and
continuing retailer pressure have cut margins at Ter Beke, a
Belgium-based processed meats and fresh ready meals manufacturer.
A new enzyme-based system will allow meat and fish-processing
companies to turn their food-grade bone-material into stocks -
reducing waste by up to 80 per cent, its designers claim.
The avian influenza scare is causing fluctuations in the demand and
price for poultry in the EU, according to the latest agricultural
forecast by the European Commission.
Japan has reopened its doors to US beef, providing processors
access to what was once their largest export market before bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was first found in North America.
Two food companies in Belgium have announced plans to merge their
operations, creating the largest processed meats group in the
country and a powerhouse in the Benelux region.
Cereal stocks will continue to be high in some parts of the EU,
dairy will shift towards high-value products, while meat production
will decline, the European Commission says in a forecast report on
agricultural production in the...
A weighing and traceability system installed at British Premium
Meats (BPM), demonstrates how EU legislation is pushing industry to
adopt new technology.
Russian scientists claim they have devised a method of keeping meat
fresh for up to three months using additives found naturally in
living cells, says report.
The global trade in beef, pork and poultry by major exporters is
forecast to reach record levels again in 2006, ensuring a steady
supply, according to a forecast report.
As bird flu continues to cause problems, the Resource group, a
leading agribusiness in Southern Russia, announced more acquistions
to enhance its growing reputation as leading moderniser in Russia's
poultry sector.
A range of machines, including a meat batching and tray packing
system, brings together a complete processing line specifically
developed for producing automatic case-ready products for shipping.
The acquisition of a US machine maker is part of Dutch-based Stork
Food Systems' bid to become a provider of complete processing
systems to the meat industry.
Meat from the lab directly to the table is still in an experimental
stage right now, but a team of scientists have jumped ahead of the
crowd by indicating how it might be done on an industrial scale.
In the wake of poor profits and declining sales, ConAgra will close
some of its 150 manufacturing and food processing plants to improve
efficiency, the company said in its latest earnings report.
ConAgra Foods has blamed higher pork and beef costs and the
company's failure to compensate by raising prices sufficiently as
the main reasons for lowering its profits forecast by about
one-third for the fiscal fourth quarter...
Meat processing firm Kampomos has launched the first of its new
high margin product range in Russia, aimed at growing demand for
freshness and diversity among more affluent city-livers while also
easing pressure from high costs, reports...