Technology is essential for developing high-quality protein products in specific sizes and shapes, but equipment is just one component necessary for success.
Although forming equipment is a key element in developing such items as chicken nuggets and strips and hamburger patties, it alone cannot produce quality products.
With employee hygiene a key variable in the creation and spread of contaminants, training programs that educate workers on best practices can reduce food safety threats.
Enhancements to food-grade lubricants, including greater water resistance and the ability to work more effectively under higher temperatures and when supporting heavier loads, are enhancing plant operations.
The greater use of antibiotics and growth hormones on animals and longer periods in feed lots result in bigger carcasses — and subsequently larger slices of whole-muscle cuts.
Effective sanitizing is crucial for reducing bacterial threats in meat and poultry plants, but employee turnover and the intricacies in developing operational guidelines have an impact on outcomes.
To maintain food safety in the meat industry and help minimize the threat of foodborne illness, it is important for meat and poultry operators to manage apparel as they would machinery and work surfaces.
Many meat and poultry producers are finding no good deed goes unpunished. While most operators are working to enhance food safety and improve product quality, their methods often entail an exorbitant consumption of energy and water.
The drive for optimal productivity is making automation increasingly important, and newer robotic technologies are among the machines set to play larger roles in meat and poultry plant operations.