Colorado Association of Meat Processors & Wyoming Meat Processors Association
  Industry News Updates 
September 22, 2017
Market News

Please let us know if you want to make any changes to the directory at cas_camp@mail.colostate.edu
 Association News

If any Processors or Suppliers are willing to have their highlight story featured with us, please let us know . We are looking for more members to highlight this fall!


Suppliers:

If you have purchased advertising with us in the weekly updates and newsletters, your ads will now be featured on our facebook page. We would like to feature new ads this fall. Please let us know how we can help with your advertising needs. Additionally, we would like to invite suppliers to present in upcoming webinars to showcase new products or complete demonstrations for our members. Please let us know at cas_camp@mail.colostate.edu if you have any questions!

Processors:

We will be organizing webinar series this fall on various topics including marketing strategies, website help, cutting demonstrations, cooking, and many other topics. Watch for these webinar announcements coming soon.

Several Processors are looking for labor to fill temporary positions this fall. Let us know and we will include that information on all of our resources.

If you know other processors that we should discuss membership with us, please let us know! We are currently recruiting processors in Colorado and Wyoming to join the associations.

Please let us know at cas_camp@mail.colostate.edu if you have any questions or let us know how we can help!

 Equipment Classifieds from our Processors



Smokehouse
Model 350012
3ph/15amp/240v
500lb capacity

Contact: 
Westcliffe Meats, LLC
Hank Miller
1358 County Road 140
Westcliffe, CO 81252
Phone: 719-373-0196



Contact this processor for more information!
EXPO REPORT: FPSA Defeat Hunger campaign meets goal

by Kimberlie Clyma CHICAGO - Jeff Dahl, Chairman of the Foundation of the Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA), presented the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) with a check for $100,000 at a presentation on Sept. 21 during Process...

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www.meatpoultry.com
Whole Foods Shakes Up Supplier Policy Post-Amazon...

Specialty food suppliers may find themselves having a harder time getting space on Whole Foods' shelves come next year, according to The Wall Street Journal. The publication shared that Whole Foods will be centralizing its product decision-making ...

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Albertsons obtains Plated

by Eric Schroeder Search for similar articles by keyword: [ Retail] BOISE, IDAHO - Albertsons Companies, Inc. has acquired Plated, a New York-based meal kit service. The transaction paves the way for Albertsons to advance its strategy of focusing ...

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www.meatpoultry.com
US Foods offers inspiration for 'the next wave of global ...

by Rebekah Schouten Search for similar articles by keyword: [ US Foods] US Foods is launching its Fall Scoop 2017 lineup with the theme "Make It Yours." ROSEMONT, ILL. - US Foods is launching its Fall Scoop 2017 lineup with the theme "Make It Yours."

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www.meatpoultry.com
Food safety stakes higher than ever for processors


By  Tom Johnston  on 9/20/2017 from meatingplace.com

CHICAGO —  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s thrust behind the Food Safety Modernization Act and its “war on pathogens” has raised the level of risk for companies that make food products that can make people sick.

Shawn Stevens, a food industry consultant and attorney who represents processors in food safety litigation — and a blogger for  Meatingplace  — warned attendees here at the Process Expo that, as companies like the Peanut Corporation of America already have discovered, the FDA can hold them criminally liable if consumers get sick from eating their products.
A misdemeanor charge does not require intent like a felony would. That is, a company does not have to know that it has shipped a product that is making people sick. It just has to have been aware of a condition that could result in illness and have had done nothing to prevent the problem. Each count can carry up to a year in prison or up to a $250,000 fine.

So, whereas companies were once only exposed to civil and regulatory penalties, they now also are exposed to criminal penalties.

“The exposures we face as an industry are incredibly high and on a daily basis they’re getting higher,” Stevens said.

For now, it’s the FDA making this push, but Stevens told  Meatingplace  in an interview after his presentation he predicts that USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) eventually will adopt the same approach.

“FSIS has watched with interest the shifts in FDA enforcement policy, and there have been some signals that FSIS, in response, may be intensifying slightly its own policy in that it’s suggested that in cases where a food safety assessment (FSA) or an investigation following an outbreak suggests there may be a basis for criminal liability, it may conduct a more intensive investigation,” Stevens said. “I predict that the more aggressive that FDA becomes, and the less tolerance that FDA shows for outbreaks, USDA will likely, even if slowly, follow suit.”

Among the most important things that Stevens listed for processors to do ahead of an FDA visit was to conduct their own microbiological profiling during production to get a clear picture of problem areas and correct them. He urged them also to get to the root source — not just the root cause — of the contamination by doing comprehensive environmental testing.

“The heart and soul of producing safe product is environmental monitoring,” he said.
Landcrafted Food spices up snack stick line

Landcrafted Food announced today that it is expanding its product offering to include flavors for the more adventurous, spice-of-life-seeking consumer. New Habanero BBQ and Spicy Cajun Smoked Beef Sticks join the recently introduced Original and...

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www.provisioneronline.com
Making sanitary equipment design a priority

by MEAT+POULTRY Staff CHICAGO - During the second day of Process Expo, a food safety expert provided insight into protecting food processing equipment from food safety hazards and the role of sanitary design in the construction of processing and...

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www.meatpoultry.com
Beef. It does a planet good: study


By  Tom Johnston  on 9/19/2017 from meatingplace.com

Cattle raised for beef production play a key role in maintaining a sustainable food system, according to new research published by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.

The research, published in September’s issue of the journal  Global Food Security , essentially counters claims that beef production consumes too much human-edible feed, finding that cattle are net contributors to the global protein supply, and concludes that “modest yield improvements” can reduce further land expansion for feed production.
FAO researchers created a global database of what livestock eat, finding that 86 percent of the feed the animals consume, most of it grasses grown on marginal lands, are not edible to humans.

This counters frequent claims that beef production requires a very high consumption of grain, — as much as 20 kg per 1 kg of beef produced. The researchers note that such high projections are based on feedlot beef production, which accounts for only 7 to 13 percent of global beef output. It does not apply to other forms of beef production that produce the remaining 87 to 93 percent of beef.

As cattle scarcely eat what would be edible to humans, FAO researchers found that 1 kg of protein in meat and milk only requires 0.6 kgs of protein from human food, and the protein in meat and milk has a higher nutritional quality than the protein in grain that cattle eat.
The research also found that livestock play a key role in preventing a likely environmental challenge. That is, they eat leftovers from human food, fiber and biofuels production.
“Livestock play, and will continue to play, a critical role in adding value to these residual products, a large share of which could otherwise be an environmental burden,” the study states.

Read the full study  here.
6 types of consumers & how the beef industry can serve them

As a cattle rancher, it's sometimes easy to take for granted the freezer full of beef that I have at my disposal. I know exactly how my beef was raised, what the steer ate and how much he weighed at harvest.

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www.beefmagazine.com
Inside the Drovers September Issue

Want to see the latest issue of Drovers magazine, even without the printed copy? Click here to view the digital edition! Here's what is inside the September issue: Beef Quality Audits Celebrate 25 Years Twenty-five years ago, the 1991 National...

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www.cattlenetwork.com
The National Provisioner September 2017 Page 40

FORMULATION STRATEGIES | HOLIDAY DINNERS tradition ■ The greater willingness by consumers to consider new meat and poultry options during the holidays creates expanded sales opportunities for retailers and suppliers. 40 THE NATIONAL PROVISIONER | ...

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Understanding Feeder Cattle Price Slides

Feeder cattle prices depend on the weight of the cattle with lightweight cattle typically having the highest price per pound (or hundredweight) and lower prices for heavier cattle. Not only do prices vary across cattle weights but the size of the ...

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The National Provisioner September 2017 Page 32

2017 BACON 2017 bacon report ■ It appears bacon will maintain its stranglehold on the taste buds of U.S. consumers for the foreseeable future. BY ELIZABETH FUHRMAN contributing writer appeal ? occasions and ...

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digital.bnpmedia.com
Advertising!
To advertise in our newsletter or weekly news updates, please contact cas_camp@mail.colostate.edu. Our advertising rates are below. These are quarterly flat fee rates for ads to appear in multiple newsletters. 

Our Ad Pricing Structure

$130 for a full-page ad
$75 for a half-page ad
$50 for a quarter-page ad
Retail Pricing Matrix - Beef Retail

Retail Pricing MatrixAccurately Calculate Gross Margins and Determine PricingIn an environment of rising commodity prices, it&rsquos more important than ever to carefully and accurately manage your profit margins.& Use this tool as a quick and...

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www.beefretail.org
Wholesale Price Update - Beef Retail

Wholesale Price UpdateThe leading source for wholesale beef pricesThe beef industry&rsquos Wholesale Price Chart gives a top-line view of average reported wholesale prices on beef sub-primal cuts from the current and previous weeks, and is...

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www.beefretail.org
The impact of processing temperatures on fresh meat quality


By  Guest Contributor  on 9/18/2017 from meatingplace.com

Spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms are ubiquitous in livestock production, and colder temperatures limit their growth. In commercial slaughtering, a chilling step is designed primarily to limit microbial growth.

However, through years of extensive research, a secondary benefit has emerged: Meat quality attributes such as color, water-holding capacity and texture may be maintained or improved. Therefore, chilling carcasses after slaughter regulates fresh meat quality attributes by controlling the conversion of muscle to meat.

Conversion of muscle to meat
After an animal is harvested for meat, the muscles go through a complex series of biochemical reactions in an attempt to maintain energy levels (ATP). To maintain energy, enzymes within the muscle metabolizes stored carbohydrate (glycogen) into lactate.

Eventually the energy is completely utilized in a reaction that produces a hydrogen ion (H+), which drops the pH of the meat making it more acidic. The complete exhaustion of energy is known as rigor mortis. This drop in pH is fundamental in the development of meat quality attributes.

In general, a lower pH results in denaturation in which the functional properties of proteins within a muscle are altered. Denaturation is further enhanced when temperature is high. Beef, lamb and poultry are all susceptible to this problem. However, it is most apparent in pork, since porcine muscle exhibits a rapid postmortem pH decline. If muscle pH declines rapidly at high temperatures, the pork exhibits a pale color, soft texture and is exudative, resulting in the PSE condition.

The development of these inferior meat quality attributes associated with high temperature and low pH can be mitigated by carcass chilling. Enzymes are susceptible to ambient temperatures. In general, enzymes function best at normal body temperature and lose activity as temperature decreases. By lowering the muscle temperature, enzyme activity is decreased, resulting in a slower pH decline and preservation of the meat quality attributes. So chilling carcasses maintains quality during the conversion of muscle to meat.

The basics of chilling
In the simplest terms, carcass chilling requires a refrigeration system designed to reduce the temperature of a warm carcass. Most livestock animals have a body temperature between 100ºF-105.8ºF, and it is the goal of meat processors to reduce this temperature to approximately 39.2ºF for refrigerated storage.

Chilling typically begins after the animal is eviscerated and inspected for wholesomeness. Carcasses are oftentimes chilled in two steps: a chilling cooler followed by a holding cooler. The chilling cooler is designed to rapidly reduce the carcass temperature and is typically colder than the holding cooler with temperatures ranging from 32ºF to -31ºF. The holding cooler temperatures usually range from 32ºF to 39.2ºF to allow for a further reduction in carcass temperature and the resolution of rigor mortis before further processing of the carcass. Chilling systems vary between different species, but in general there are two types of chilling in the meat industry: air and liquid chilling.

Air chilling encompasses a number of different cooling methods. This type is sometimes known as rapid, blast or extreme chilling, in which carcasses are chilled in coolers at temperatures from 32ºF to -31ºF with rapid airflow. This cooling type speeds up the time to dissipate heat in carcasses by reducing chilling time by 25 percent to 35 percent.
Typically, beef, lamb and pork carcasses are chilled using air chilling. During air chilling, the humidity of the chilling and holding coolers are kept high to prevent cooler shrinkage. Cooler shrinkage is the reduction in weight between the hot carcass weight shortly after slaughter and the final carcass weight after chilling. These losses are typically caused by water evaporation resulting in a 1 percent to 3 percent loss in total weight of the carcass. Preventing these losses is a constant concern for processors utilizing air chilling.
Liquid chilling is a technique in which carcasses are generally sprayed or immersed in cold water to reduce temperature. Additionally, antimicrobial agents are added to the water as a means to combat microorganism growth.

One advantage of liquid chilling is the mitigation of cooler shrinkage. The water immersion or spray onto the carcass reduces or replaces the water lost through evaporation and reduces the total percentage of water lost during chilling. While beneficial, it is important to regulate the total spray or immersion time and quantity of water to ensure carcasses do not gain weight and require an alteration in product labeling. Both poultry and fish are predominantly cooled through immersion, while beef, pork, lamb and veal carcasses can be cooled through spray chilling.

Both chilling options are viewed as a beneficial step in the harvesting and processing of meat carcasses. In general, each meat animal species has somewhat different chilling regimens to optimize meat quality. For instance, beef typically follows a chilling protocol in which muscle temperatures should not fall below 50ºF prior to the muscle pH reaching 6.2, which is usually around 10-12 hours postmortem. Conversely, since pork is chilled more rapidly due to a more rapid pH decline, it is optimal to chill carcasses below 50ºF by 12 hours postmortem. These recommendations are based on previous research in which both meat safety and quality are optimized.

Quality defects from insufficient chilling
Apart from the fact that insufficient chilling is unsafe from a microbiological perspective, insufficient chilling also can result in inferior meat quality. After an animal is harvested for meat, the pH decline begins shortly thereafter. When high muscle temperature is combined with a low pH, protein denaturation begins.

The problem of protein denaturation from insufficient chilling occurs in beef, lamb, pork, chicken and turkey meat and results in meat that exhibits increased paleness, decreased redness, increased purge, increased toughness, increased cook loss and a coarse texture. All of these characteristics are associated with poor appeal. Although most processing facilities do not actively heat carcasses, ambient plant temperatures can be at or above the body temperature of the animals, making it difficult for heat to dissipate.
Additionally, energy metabolism within the muscle is an exothermic process causing the muscle to increase in temperature shortly after slaughter. Thus, if temperature of the muscle is not reduced while pH is dropping, the meat may be susceptible to the development of negative quality attributes.

Based on the idea that insufficient chilling is detrimental to meat quality, it is logical to assume that rapid and excessive chilling is the solution to prevent the possibility of temperature induced negative quality attributes. Although that may be true, excessive chilling can be just as problematic. Excessive chilling postmortem can lead to cold-shortening or in extreme cases thaw-rigor. Cold-shortening occurs when the muscle temperature drops below 57.2ºF – 66.2ºF before the onset of rigor mortis.
When this occurs, the meat typically becomes tougher through excessive contraction and shortening of the muscle. Typically, red meat species are more susceptible to this quality defect. The other defect that arises from excessive chilling is thaw-rigor. Thaw rigor develops when muscles are frozen before the resolution of rigor mortis. When the meat is thawed, the muscle contracts from residual energy and becomes especially tough and can release a disproportionate amount of purge.

Conclusion
Chilling carcasses is a complicated science that extends beyond food safety concerns. Chilling directly affects the biochemical processes that directly impact meat quality attributes during the transformation of muscle to meat.

Therefore, when identifying and optimizing new or current chilling protocols, evaluating both food safety and meat quality attributes should be important criteria.
 
– Eric England is an assistant professor of meat science at The Ohio State University