UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES-DILIMAN

Meat Processing Industry

An Overview
Michelle Christine O. Angeles 2008-05113

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in Chemical Engineering 140: Chemical Process Industries

Table of Contents

Page 6 6

Content Limitation of the Study Phase 1: Market and Economics Overview of the industry, its product and processes Basic market data Economics of production Market segmentation (based on product application) Market competition Global market outlook 16 Phase 2: Manufacturing Process Raw materials Manufacturing process and process flow diagram Equipment description 31 Phase 3: Health, Safety & Environment, Research & Development Occupational safety Process safety Waste management Product development Process development Market development 38 Works Cited

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Overview of Meat Processing Meat processing is the generic term used to describe the industry. However a number of terms are used to describe the facilities at which meat processing occurs, including abattoirs, slaughterhouses and meat packing plants. The terms abattoir and slaughterhouse are synonymous and refer to plants which slaughter livestock and dress carcasses only, often with limited or no processing of by-products. The products from these plants are usually dressed carcasses, which are sold on a wholesale basis to butchers and other meat processing plants. However, it is common for abattoirs or slaughterhouses to also undertake the boning of carcasses to produce retail cuts. Meat and meat products are an important component of diet in many parts of the world, particularly in developed nations, where the consumption of animal protein per head of population is the highest. For developing nations, the production and consumption of meat is increasing as levels of affluence increase. Table 1.1 provides an overview of world meat production, showing the contributions of different meat species to overall meat-production and the relative scales of production for the major meat producing countries. Of the red meats, pork and beef are produced in the greatest quantities. Poultry meat is also a major source of world meat production. China and the United States of America are the worlds largest producers of beef and pork. Brazil, Mexico, the Russian Federation and a number of western European countries are also large producers. The slaughter of livestock to produce meat and meat products is a widespread activity and can be an important industry in many countries. Overview of the Processes in the Industry The generic processes that take place at abattoirs are stunning and bleeding, hide removal or treatment, evisceration, carcass dressing and washing. Many abattoirs also have a boning process in which finished carcasses are cut into retail portions. Most abattoirs also have casings and offal processing departments, which produce value-added products from the casings (intestinal tract) and edible offal. The sections that follow provide a brief description of these processes.

Pigs/Swine

Pigs are delivered to the abattoir in trucks, and held for one to two days in holding yards. They are generally fasted for a day to reduce the amount of intestinal contents.

Figure 1. General process flow of processing pork from pigs

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Table 1.1. Division of pork production per pig

A pig carcass can be utilised to a much greater extent than any other farm animal species (up to 70% utilisation. This is because pigs have one stomach instead of four and are dressed with the feet and skin left on instead of removed. In addition, the proportion of edible components is higher than for cattle.

Cattle

Table 1.2 Division of beef production per cattle

The cattle, pig and poultry industry

The Philippines cattle, pig and poultry industry has two broad sectors within it:

the commercial sector, which is relatively concentrated around medium to large companies with a national or regional (island specific) orientation.

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Many of the businesses in this segment are integrated operators and have significant industrial power bases in the Philippines, e.g. the giant San Miguel Corporation, and so have very strong bargaining power in the local market and distribution channels; and, the backyard sector, which is highly fragmented and localised, and revolves around small and micro-sized family owned businesses.

The backyard sector rarely interacts with imported meat and poultry because its products mainly operate in the traditional meat markets, and not supermarkets or hypermarkets.

The meat and poultry processing industry

Key players in the meat and poultry production industry are integrated along the supply chain from farms to retailing. Trade sources comment that the most important demand base for imported meat and poultry is the Philippines processed meat industry. Some key points to note are as follows:

the industry produces: o o canned meats and poultry: corned beef, sausages (Vienna-type), meat loaf, local ready meals in cans, luncheon meat and liver spread (a pat type product); o o frozen processed meat and poultry: sausages, chicken nuggets, burger patties and bacon; and o o fresh/chilled processed meats: sausages, bacon, ham and corned beef; the sausage industry is using mixed meats in its products, e.g. pork and chicken; pork skin is used by snack producers, e.g. pork crackling (fried rind) snacks. This industry is highly price sensitive because of its target market, the mass market on a nationwide basis; Bovine variety meats and offal are in big demand due to large shortfalls in local supply. There is also sizeable demand for pork variety meats and offal, and chicken offal. This demand covers a wide range of meats, offcuts, byproducts (fats) and offals that are not in high volume demand in Canada; corned beef is a massive user of imported beef, offal and fat. It is a captive market for foreign bovine inputs because its demand far outstrips local supply, and will continue to do so in future. Liver spread is a big user of beef and pork liver and other variety meats. Traditionally, there is very high demand for Indian buffalo meat, but due to higher prices of this product, corned beef manufacturers are using more variety meats in their corned beef, e.g. frozen cattle hearts. This shift in inputs has been facilitated by USMEF and its marketing programs; chicken offal (hearts, livers and gizzard) and MDM chicken is in demand as low priced inputs by the meat processing industry. Latent demand for these products is reported to be very big, if the price is right; aside from pig skin, mentioned above, the Philippines meat processing industry has demand for meat from pig heads and feet, pig tails, fat, and the full range of edible offals; and as mentioned earlier, one sausage manufacturer has recently altered strategy so that it will only produce Halal sausages. This is not a new strategy because most, if not all, canned corned beef made in the Philippines is halal certified.

Some trade sources believe that halal will become even more important as the Philippines meat companies start to interact more with the ASEAN Free Trade Area opportunities. Exports of Philippine canned processed meats are already accessing Malaysian supermarket channels. Table 1.1 World production of different meat categories Beef (includes veal) Total world production (1000 tonnes/yr) Percentage of world production Major producing countries (1000 tonnes/yr) Argentina Australia Brazil China Denmark 45,293 26% 2,600 1,839 4,475 3,300 190 Pork 69,696 40% 344 1,300 32,048 1,537 Mutton, lamb and goat meat 6,435 30% 82 580 1,609 2 Poultry 53582 30% 675 498 3,491 7,550 172

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France Germany India Italy Japan Mexico Netherlands New Zealand Philippines Russian Federation Spain Taiwan United Kingdom United States of America

1,592 1,447 1,050 1,170 602 1,810 603 572 135 3,100 478 5 918 11,194

2,126 3,030 1,369 1,390 900 1,673 45 715 2,260 2,107 1,204 1,053 8,027

154 41 615 79 140 18 513 310 240 352 140

1,961 641 1,084 1,302 1,340 594 1,170 880 604 12,789 13,206

Background The typical raw hot dog is a pink, cylindrical-shaped piece of meat. It is about 1.6 oz (45.36 g) on average and contains anywhere from 0.175-0.245 oz (5-7 g) of protein. It also contains about 0.455 oz (13 g) of fat, 450 mg of sodium and 150 calories. Since hot dogs are meat products, they are an excellent source of nutrients including iron, zinc, niacin, riboflavin, and B vitamins. When hot dogs are made using pork meat, they are good source of thiamin. Since they are a pre-cooked food, they are less prone to spoilage than other types of meat products. This makes them one of the safest meat products available. Hot dogs are known by many different names including frankfurters, franks, red hots, and wieners. While there are many varieties of hot dogs, one of the most famous is the Kosher hot dog. These hot dogs are prepared in a manner, which follows 3,000 year old traditions that comply with Jewish religious practices. Specially trained Rabbis oversee the entire kosher hot dog making process. Ultimately, the main difference between a kosher and a regular hot dog is that kosher hot dogs do not contain pork. History The technology for making hot dogs and sausages was developed thousands of years ago. This makes these products one of the oldest forms of processed food. The earliest record of a hot dog type product dates back to 1500 B.C. in Babylonia. Sausages were mentioned in Homer's Odyssey written during the ninth century B.C. These early forms of hot dogs were made by grinding up meat, stuffing it in animal intestine and cooking it over a fire. The exact origin of the product we call a hot dog is debated. Some claim that it was first developed in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1484. Others claim that it was developed in Vienna, Austria, and suggest that the term wiener reflects this point. Still others suggest that it was not developed until the late 1600s when Johann Georghehner (who was from Coburg, Germany) produced a sausage product known as the dachshund sausage. In 1852, a butchers' guild in Frankfurt produced a spiced, smoked sausage product which they named frankfurter after their hometown. It was slightly curved in shape and was often called the dachshund sausage. The product was brought over to America by Charles Feltman and Antoine Feuchtwanger. Feltman sold frankfurters and sauerkraut from a pushcart in New York's Coney Island. He opened up the first Coney Island hot dog stand in 1871. Shortly thereafter, he started selling the frankfurters with milk rolls, which were the precursors to hot dog buns. The buns that we use today were probably first introduced in St. Louis by Feuchtwanger in 1904. He was a sausage concessionaire who loaned white gloves to his customers to hold the hot sausages. Since most of his customers did not return his gloves he worked with a baker to develop a bun, which people could use to hold their sausages. In 1893, sausages became a popular food at baseball parks. They were first introduced in the St. Louis Browns ballpark and then spread to the rest of baseball. The term hot dog was coined in 1901 by a sports cartoonist named Tad Dorgan. He was at the New York Polo Grounds, where he had heard some vendors selling red hot dachshund sausages. This prompted him to draw a cartoon of a real dachshund covered with mustard on a bun. Since he did not know how to spell dachshund he wrote on the caption "get your hot dogs." The cartoon was a hit and the name persisted.

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Limitation of the Study The scope of this study is limited to the products and processes related to hot dogs. The manufacturing process of a hot dog will be discussed in Phase 2. Also, this study does not comprise the processes involved on the slaughtering of livestock and poultry. Market data for hot dog in the Philippines will be discussed and analyzed in the Market and Economics subchapter. Data for other types of sausages (frankfurters, wieners, and Vienna sausages) will not be analyzed. Data for canned products and other processed meats will only be used as basis for comparison. Imports and exports data for hot dog was not precise due to the unavailability of data solely for hot dog products. Phase 1: Market Data in the Philippines Meat processing has become a very important segment of the Philippine economy as the population grew to a base of more than 84 million consumers. The industry now contributes over P70 billion to the gross domestic product annually, provides 60,000 direct and indirect jobs, and supports allied businesses such as packaging, canning, advertising, printing, media, retail trade, among others. In 2000, household spending on canned and uncanned meat preparations amounted to P32.4 billion (NSO-FIES). Uncanned meat (longanisa, tocino, chorizo, hotdog, tapa, etc.) accounted for about 70% of this amount, with the rest accounted for by canned meats (corned beef, luncheon meat, meat loaf, Vienna sausage, etc.). The meat processing industry is expected to benefit from increased consumer spending and the expansion of the fast-food industry. San Miguel Purefoods Corp. is the top meat processor in the country accounting for more than half of the processed meat market. CDO Foodosphere, Inc. is a far second with around 30%. Other players are Swift Foods Inc., Virginia Foods, etc. These players cater mainly to the household sector and, to a lesser extent, the institutional markets. Production of Meat and Poultry in the Philippines 2003 to 2008

Locally produced meat and poultry is an important part of the Philippines economy, both at the level of rural SME producers and big businesses, which have a very strong competitive position in the market. There are industry reports of a slump in meat and poultry production in 2010, although this is not reflected in the datasets that are available.

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Trade sources comment that there is now growth in demand for halal meats in the Philippines because the Muslim population, which accounts for 5% of total population, is growing in size and also experiencing higher incomes. One of the country's largest meat processors, Swift Foods (RFM Foods Corporation), has recently converted all of its sausage manufacturing to halal certified status. The rationale behind this conversion also includes the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and halal meat export markets in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam and Indonesia's key cities. The Middle East is also regarded as a very important target market, and Swift Foods has already launched its products in some countries in this region. According to the government, local meat and poultry products comprise around 94% of total consumption. Trade sources comment that 2009 was a more positive year for local producers because the price of inputs, e.g. animal feed, was lower due to the collapse of global commodity prices.

Canned/Preserved Food

Canned/preserved food recovers in 2010; volume growth of 5% is seen, and value sales reach nearly PhP30 billion. Manufacturers widen their market reach by broadening their product offerings. Canned/preserved meat and meat products outperforms other categories; volume growth in this category reaches 6% in 2010. Unit prices increase by 3% in 2010. Century Canning Corp solidifies its lead in canned/preserved food, with a retail value share of 22% in 2009. Canned/preserved food is expected to see a volume CAGR of nearly 4% in the period 2010-2015. Canned/preserved food clocked a more upbeat performance in 2010 as compared to the year earlier, thanks to higher purchasing power in the Philippines. Buoyed by the recovery of the export sector, and stronger private and public sectors due to elections, consumers had more money to spend on canned/preserved food. It should be noted that in 2009 competition with lower priced noodles hindered the growth of canned/preserved food. With more disposable income, most consumers turned back to canned/preserved food in 2010. Compared with chilled processed food and frozen processed food, canned/preserved food is perceived as being the most affordable, making it highly appealing to the mass market. Canned sardines are known to be poor mans food in the Philippines, because of their low price and availability in sari-sari stores. On the other hand, chilled and frozen processed foods are often cured meat, and are meant for consumption at breakfast time. Since these are meat products, they are often higher priced than canned/preserved food. Also, the lack of freezers and chillers in traditional sari-sari stores limited their availability to independent small grocers and supermarkets.

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Chilled Processed Food

In the Philippines, fish/seafood is generally perceived as healthier than its meat counterpart, which drove the introduction of more chilled fish/seafood in the market. Smoked fish/seafood has been a popular breakfast item in the country, and is often sold loose, so is not covered in Euromonitor International data. However, recent years saw the introduction of packaged chilled smoked fish/seafood due to increasing demand from upscale consumers, who can afford to pay higher prices for products in supermarkets. Also, chilled fish/seafood is in the form of fish hot dogs, fish ham and fish bacon. The nearly 6% volume growth recorded in 2010 was an improvement from the growth the previous year of more than 3%. Chilled processed food experienced a slight recovery during the year as consumers were more optimistic about the Philippine economy. Also, the increasing the number of entrepreneurs which are venturing into the distribution of chilled processed food also helped to boost the category. It should be noted that unlike freezers, refrigerators are relatively cheaper, and require less investment for a typical entrepreneur. San Miguel Pure Foods Co Inc strengthened its foothold in chilled processed food a with retail value share of 54% in 2009. This was an improvement from the less than 54% share in 2008, reaching sales of Ps8.5 billion. The companys success in the Philippine market can be traced to its longstanding presence in the market, which allowed it to gain significant knowledge of the market and build strategic relations with players across the value chain. It should be noted that San Miguel Pure Foods Co Inc is recognised as one of the largest food manufacturers in the Philippines.

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Frozen Processed Food

Frozen processed food is more dynamic in 2010 than in 2009; in 2010 volume sales increase by more than 3%, while retail value sales reach Ps34 billion. The faster pace of life contributes to the recovery of the category. Frozen/processed fish/seafood leads growth; volume sales increase by nearly 6% in 2010. Unit prices increase by nearly 4% in 2010. San Miguel Pure Foods Co Inc strengthens its foothold in frozen processed food; its value share reaches 41% in 2009. Growth in frozen processed food is expected to slow down, with a volume CAGR of 3% in the period 2010-2015. Hot dogs were the most popular type of frozen processed red meat in 2010, accounting for a 61% share of retail sales. Largely marketed as breakfast items for children, hot dogs are also used for cooking Filipinostyle spaghetti, and in bread rolls and sandwiches. Second was bacon, which aside from being another breakfast staple is used when cooking pasta sauces and in sandwiches. This product type held a 16% share of retail sales in 2010. Both hamburgers and salami, which accounted for nearly 10% and nearly 3% of value sales respectively, have been increasing due to consumer awareness of their uses. For instance, eating hamburgers with rice instead of as a filling for buns and sandwiches created a ready alternative. The Philippines native longganisa or sausages ranked fourth with an 8% share of sales.

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San Miguel Purefoods Hormel Company Profile

San Miguel Pure Foods Co Inc produces its products locally, at a number of farms and production plants across the country. However, it imports many of its raw materials into the country for processing. The company primarily focuses on domestic sales. However, it is also present in other Asian countries such as Vietnam, where it operates San Miguel Pure Foods (VN) Co Ltd, acquired in 2003. In Indonesia, the company operates PT San Miguel Pure Foods Indonesia, which is particularly strong in halal-certified processed meat. Other countries where the company exports its products include the USA, Canada, Middle East, Oceania, Japan, China, and Africa. Towards the end of 2009, the company reported that it was successful in producing corned beef in Brazil which is designed to supply the North American market. In terms of processed meat products, San Miguel Pure Foods Co Inc is undoubtedly the largest foodservice supplier in the Philippines, providing hotdogs and bacon to the combined outlets of Shakeys, Greenwich, Jollibee, Tender Juicy Hotdog, 7-Eleven, Smokeys, and others. It should be noted that Jollibee Food Corps brands, Jollibee and Greenwich, represent the largest chains in burger fast food and pizza fast food, respectively. On the other hand, small independent bakeries within Metro Manila and provinces also source their supplies from the company. Continued expansion of fast food and street stalls/kiosks in the Philippine market amid the 2009 economic slowdown also underpinned the further increase in share of San Miguel Pure Foods Co Inc. The companys more aggressive efforts in promoting the franchise of its foodservice brands has also further allowed it to increase its share in foodservice.

Market Sizes - Historic/ Forecast - Ps mn - Current Prices Geographies Philippines - Retail Value RSP Philippines - Retail Value RSP Categories Chilled Processed Meat Frozen Processed Red Meat 2005 10193.9 9659.8 2006 11508.9 10819 2007 13005.1 12063.2 2008 14500.6 13510.8 2009 15660.7 14591.6 2010 16443.7 15686

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Philippines

Production of Processed Meat, Fish, Fruit, Vegetables, Fats

137936

140392

151597

169854

158081

Import & Export The Philippines has a large market for imported meat and poultry products. In 2010, it imported about 294,000 tonnes of meat and poultry products valued at C$ 354 million, up from 213,000 tonnes valued at C$ 229 million in 2004 (see Chart below). Trends in the Philippines Imports of Meat and Poultry 2004 to 2008 (All Products)

Over the period between 2004 and 2010, import volumes grew at an average of about 7.5% per annum, driven by buoyant economic conditions, stronger end-consumer demand for meat and poultry, shortfalls in local supplies of some products due to disease outbreaks, and improved market access arising from trade liberalisation by the government. These trends have taken place against a background where local meat and poultry products, especially those of the larger businesses and localised SME suppliers, are competitive within local market scenarios. The state of local competition is reflected in the profile of imports, because imports are generally higher in segments where local producers are challenged to meet local demand, e.g. lower cost beef and offal (see Chart below) Philippine Imports of Meat and Poultry Products in 2010 293,734 Tonnes

Source: Philippines External Trade Statistics for Imports Main Origins of the Philippines Imports of Meat and Poultry in 2010 293,734 Tonnes

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Source: Philippines External Trade Statistics for Imports Origins vary from Developing World countries, e.g. India, Brazil and China, to various Developed World countries, with Canada as the main player amongst them in 2010. The Philippines imports of the specific products covered by this study were valued at a total of C$ 312 million in 2008, up from about C$ 197 million in 2004 (see Table below).

Four of the markets covered by this study are large, one very large and all, except the fresh/chilled markets, have been growing over the past 5 years. The markets for fresh/chilled meats are very difficult to develop because of: general price sensitivity in the meat and poultry markets and, for imports, related weaknesses in the Peso, the local currency; strong competition from major businesses that control the market for fresh/chilled meats; and, regulatory barriers and constraints, especially for products with Tariff Rate Quotas in place. Import 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 GROSSKILO (in Kg) 12644836 17010495 9532343 29820701 36034877 QUANTITY (various) 10567592 13767406 9237733 28687276 34639222 FREE ON BOARD (Value in US$) 5952068 4727994 7436921 22940603 27816730 INSURANCE (in US$) 62833 54263 61041 509036 622521 FREIGHT (in US$) 520516 502774 757279 2730081 2910704

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Export 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

GROSSKILO (in Kg) 1002728 4296675 4128723 4162496 5607170

QUANTITY (various) 772086 3882128 3275853 3376834 4543810

FREE ON BOARD (Value in US$) 2135273 4280001 10752178 15915488 21201552

INSURANCE (in US$) 98 1405 22958 39677 20

FREIGHT (in US$) 107183 408127 270368 126694 10

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Global Meat & Poultry Industry The world market for meat, fish, and poultry is predicted to grow at almost 4% a year to reach nearly $640 billion in 2015, according to MarketLine. Chilled meat and fish/seafood products are the leading product segments in the industry, accounting for sales in excess of $236 billion, or 45% of the global market. The worlds fresh meat market is expected to hit the 300-million ton mark by 2015, reports Global Industry Analysts. Market drivers include rising population, market recovery following setbacks due to diseases such as the avian flu, and greater levels of urbanization. Asia-Pacific is a leading region in meat consumption, where demand is rising due to strong economic growth and higher incomes. Meat retail expansion is reliant on distribution systems, affordable transportation costs, urbanization, with subsequent construction of supermarkets and hypermarkets, effective disease control, and good slaughter facilities. As health conscious consumers in the West turn to vegetarian diets, meat demand is slowing. This is offset by rising demand in Asia-Pacific, which is followed by North America and the EU in terms of consumption. The meat industry has suffered due to diseases such as foot and mouth disease and avian flu, with imports of some products being banned in major markets. Pork meat leads the meat market, with poultry, beef and veal following. The biggest producers of cattle include the US, China, India, Argentina and Brazil. Global demand for beef continues to rise due to the meats high protein content, coming third in the list of meats consumed primarily as sources of protein. The beef market is bolstered by rising disposable incomes and growing awareness of the important role of protein in the diet. According to the World Agricultural Board, beef exports are set to grow 5% in 2012 due to strong demand from regions including North Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. India is to knock the US from third place in terms of beef exporters, mainly rising supplies and competitive pricing strategies. Expansion in the US beef industry is slowed by falling production. Russia continues to top the list of the worlds beef importers. The US meat market is witnessing a trend towards free-range, grass-fed, organic products. The US market for fish, poultry and fresh red meat combined generated sales in excess of $93 billion in 2010, showing almost 1% annual growth in the four-year period ending 2010. Beef led the industry in the same year generating sales of $28 billion, or almost a third of the US meat market. Yearly growth is expected to exceed 1% for the five-year period ending 2015 to bring the market to almost $99 billion. In the UK, the combined market encompassing fish, poultry and fresh red meat generated over $31 billion in sales in 2010, according to MarketLine, representing 5% yearly growth for four consecutive years. The UK meat market is expected to fall to just over 4.5% throughout the five-year period ending 2015, bringing market value close to $40 billion.

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Beef and veal demand will remain largely the same going in 2012 as stronger demand in Argentina, Brazil and India make up for falling US demand. US production is set to fall 5% to under 11.5 million tons. Indias cattle production will remain strong, as the worlds biggest consumer of dairy products. World production of pork is expected to grow 2% to exceed 103 million tons in 2012, fuelled by higher production in China and South Korea. Chinese pork production is set to rise 4% to exceed 51 million tons as the market recovers from diseases such as swine flu. US production will rise 2% to almost 11 million tons, benefiting from greater supplies over other protein sources on the domestic market. Market Sizes - Historic/ Forecast - US$ mn - Current Prices - Year-on-Year Exchange Rates Geographies World - Retail Value RSP World - Retail Value RSP World World Categories Chilled Processed Meat Frozen Processed Red Meat Production of Processed Meat, Fish, Fruit, Vegetables, Fats Production of Processed/Preserved Meat 2005 90681.3 6448 1145444.2 541083.3 2006 95586.2 6941.2 1270233 578206.8 2007 106576.8 7847.1 1510971.6 663684.9 2008 117806.2 8800.9 1733155.3 754528.2 2009 116168.6 8624.7 1704531.2 719358.3 2010 120145 9206.3 -

Sales of hot dogs remain strong throughout the Philippines. Sales remained steady at the retail level, and other venues continue to post high sales as well, including at airports, restaurants and malls. Driving sales is the popularity of high protein foods and interest in natural and organic products. New products available are mostly brand favorites reformulated with a reduced fat content or increased protein content. New products in flavors such as bacon and cheese have hit the market in the last year. According to consumer research, convenient packaging, preparation and usage information are high priorities. Consumers with larger households, made up of older children continue to be the highest consumers of refrigerated packaged meat products. Sixty percent, mostly older consumers, of people surveyed said they preferred all beef hot dogs. Younger consumers preferred other products such as pork and chicken. Products in the better for you" category, low-fat and fat-free, continue to sell well. In 2004, these products accounted for 12.4 percent of the total hot dog market. The vast majority of hot dogs are of the skinless variety, cooked inside a cellulose casing that is removed prior to packaging. Some hot dogs are produced in natural casings that are not removed, these feature the characteristic snap" that many people enjoy. Most hot dogs are sold eight to a pound. Approximately 35 percent are offered in packages of 10 to the pound. The school months between June and November continue to make up the hot dog season." Hot dog producers estimate that an average of 38 percent of the total number of hot dogs are sold during this time. Ten percent of annual retail hot dog sales occur during July. Experts believe sales of the entire refrigerated processed meat category will continue to grow in the future. Phase 2: Manufacturing Process Hot dogs are a processed meat product made by mixing chopped meat with various curing ingredients, flavorants, and colorants. The meat is then stuffed in casings, cooked, removed from the casing, and put in the final package. Although the technology for hot dog making was developed thousands of years ago, these meat products continue to be a popular summertime food. In fact, in America alone over 16 billion hot dogs are consumed each year. Raw Materials

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The primary ingredient in hot dogs is the meat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that meats used for hot dogs must be the same type of quality ground meat sold in supermarkets. While pork is most often used, other types may be used such as beef, chicken or turkey. Sometimes variety meats like livers are used however, the hot dog producers must clearly label the product with the statement "with variety meats" or "with meat by-products." The proteins and fats of which meats are composed are responsible for meat characteristics. For example myofibrillar proteins give meat its texture and structure. Myoglobin and hemoglobin proteins create the natural color of the meat. Fats in the meat give the characteristic flavor. During processing, the meat is mixed with a curing solution to improve the taste and increase the shelf life. A major ingredient in this curing solution is salt. It is used to make the meat easier to work with, improve flavor, and inhibit bacterial growth. Water is another component of the curing solution. It has a variety of functions including helping create the necessary meat emulsion and adding to the meat's juiciness. Sodium nitrite is included in the curing solution to retard the development of rancidity and stabilize the meat color. Curing accelerators such as sodium ascorbate or sodium erythorbate may also be added to preserve the color of the meat during storage. In addition to the meat and curing ingredients, other ingredients are important in hot dog manufacture. Sugar and corn syrup are used to give hot dogs a sweeter taste. Flavoring is added to give hot dogs their characteristic taste. The flavorants may be natural or artificial, but typically a mixture of the two is used. Natural flavorants include herbs and spices such as pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cumin, and dill. Artificial flavoring compounds include organically synthesized esters, ketone and amino acids. Monosodium glutamate is an artificial flavor that is often used to intensify the flavor of the meat.

Hot dogs can contain extenders, which are non-meat ingredients that increase the number of hot dogs that can be made from a set amount of meat and improve the nutritive value. Extenders come from plant and animal sources and include things such as non-fat milk, cereal, soy protein and whole milk. In the United States, all of the ingredients that are used in hot dog manufacture must be clearly labeled on the package. The Manufacturing Process

Meat preparation Deboxing Pre-inspection Grinding

Blending

Stuffing & linking Casing: cellulose

Cooking Liquid smoke Heat zone 1 & 2 Heat zone 3

Packing & delivery Chiller storage

Meat Processing

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The production of hot dogs begins with the preparation of meat. Raw meat (delivered at -4C) from Monterey or imports are deboxed and kept at dry storage areas maintained at -15C, to retard microbial presence in the raw materials. The meat is then microwaved to 0C, temperature requirement for the grinding equipment. It then passes through a metal detector, to observe the presence of metal contamination. After it passes inspection, the incoming meat is cut into small pieces and placed in a stainless steel mixing container. The container is equipped with high-speed choppers, which can reduce the size of the meat pieces even further. The other raw materials including the curing ingredients, flavorings and ice chips are blended in this container until a fine emulsion, or batter, is produced. This batter has a smooth paste-like consistency, which makes further processing easier.

1. Cutting (reducing meat particle size) There are five methods of mechanical meat cutting for which specialized machinery is used: Mincing (grinding) of lean and fatty animal tissues Larger pieces of soft edible animal tissues can be reduced in size by passing them through meat grinders. Some specially designed grinders can also cut frozen meat, others are equipped with devices to separate hard tissues such as tendons and bone particles from the soft tissues (minced muscle meat particles). Chopping animal tissues in bowl cutter (discontinuous process) Bowl cutters are used to chop and mix fresh or frozen lean meat, fat (and/or edible offal, if required) together with water (often used in form of ice), functional ingredients (salt, curing agents, additives) and extenders (fillers and/or binders) Chopping animal tissues in emulsifying machines (continuous process) The animal tissues to be emulsified must be pre-mixed with all other raw materials, functional ingredients and seasonings and pre-cut using grinders or bowl cutters. Thereafter they are passed through emulsifiers (also called colloid mills) in order to achieve the desired build-up of a very finely chopped or emulsified meat mix (see page 30). 2. Salting / curing Salting Salt (sodium chloride NaCl) adds to the taste of the final product. The content of salt in sausages, hams, corned beef and similar products is normally 1.5-3%. Solely common salt is used if the cooked products shall have a greyish or greyish-brown colour as for example steaks, meat balls or white sausages. Chemical aspects of salting The water holding capacity of meat can be increased with the addition of salt up to a concentration of about 5% in lean meat and then decreases constantly. At a concentration of about 11% in the meat, the water binding capacity is back to the same level as in fresh unsalted meat. Sodium chloride has only a very low capacity to destroy microorganisms, thus almost no bacteriological effect. Its preserving power is attributed to the capability to bind water and to deprive the meat of moisture. The water loosely bound to the protein molecules as ell as free water will be attracted by the sodium and chloride ions causing a reduction of the water activity (aw) of the product. This means that less water will be available and the environment will be less favourable for the growth of microorganisms. Bacteria do not grow at a water activity below 0.91, which corresponds to a solution of 15g NaCl/100 ml water or about 15% salt in the product. These figures explain how salt has its preservative effect. Such salt concentrations (up to 15%) are too high for palatable food. However, for the preservation of natural casings this method is very useful Heat treatment of meat salted with NaCl results in conversion of the red meat pigment myoglobin (Fe+2) to the brown metmyoglobin (Fe+3). The colour of such meat turns brown to grey. Besides adding to flavour and taste, salt also is an important functional ingredient in the meat industry, which assists in the extraction of soluble muscle proteins. This property is used for water binding and texture formation in certain meat products.

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The preservation effect, which is microbial inhibition and extension of the shelf-life of meat products by salt in its concentrations used for food (on average 1.5-3% salt), is low. Meat processors should not rely too much on this effect unless it is combined with other preservation methods such as reduction of moisture or heat treatment. Curing Consumers associate the majority of processed meat products like hams, bacon, and most sausages with an attractive pink or red colour after heat treatment. However experience shows that meat or meat mixes, after kitchen-style cooking or frying, turn brownish-grey or grey. In order to achieve the desired red or pink colour, meat or meat mixes are salted with common salt (sodium chloride NaCl), which contains a small quantity of the curing agent sodium nitrite (NaNO2). Sodium nitrite has the ability to react with the red meat pigment to form the heat stable red curing colour. Only very small amounts of the nitrite are needed for this purpose. Nitrite can be safely used in tiny concentrations for food preservation and colouring purposes. Traces of nitrite are not poisonous. In addition to the reddening effect, they have a number of additional beneficial impacts so that the meat industries widely depend on this substance. Levels of 150 mg/kg in the meat product, which is 0.015%, are normally sufficient. To reduce the risk of overdosing of nitrite salt, a safe approach is to make nitrite available only in a homogeneous mixture with common salt generally in the proportion 0.5% nitrite and the balance of sodium chloride (99.5%). This mixture is called nitrite curing salt. At a common dosage level of 1.5-3% added to the meat product, the desired salty flavour is achieved and at the same time the small amount of nitrite needed for the curing reaction is also provided. Due to the sensory limits of salt addition (salt contents of 4% are normally not exceeded), the amounts of nitrite are kept low accordingly. Chemical and toxicological aspects of curing In meat or meat mixes to be cured the nitrite curing salt must be evenly distributed. During mixing the nitrite is brought in close contact with the muscle tissue and its red meat pigment, the myoglobin. Due to the acidification in meat after slaughter, the pH of such meat or meat mixes is always below 7, which means slightly acidic. The acidity may be enhanced through curing accelerators such as ascorbic acid or erythorbate. Nitrite (NaNO2), or rather nitrogen oxide, NO, which is formed from nitrite in an acid environment, combines with myoglobin to form nitrosomyoglobin, a bright red compound. The nitrosomyoglobin is heat stable i.e. when the meat is heat treated the bright red colour remains. The addition of nitrite curing salt in quantities of approximately 2%, which is the usual salt level, generates a nitrite content in the meat products of approximately 150ppm (parts per million or 150 mg/kg). This nitrite content is not toxic for consumers. Upon reaction of the nitrite with the myoglobin (which is the genuine curing reaction), there will be on average a residual level of nitrite of 50-100ppm remaining in the product. In any case the amount of residual nitrite in the finished product should not exceed 125ppm. The maximum ingoing amount for processed meat products is normally up to 200mg/kg of product (Codex Alimentarius, 1991). Apart from its poisoning potential (which is unlikely when using nitrite curing salt), there is a debate concerning the possible health hazards of nitrite curing as under certain conditions nitrite can form nitrosamines, some of which can be carcinogenic in the long term. However, nitrosamines can only be found in strongly cooked or fried meat products which were previously cured with nitrite. Fresh meat for cooking and fresh burgers or sausages for frying do usually not contain nitrite but salt only. Hence the risk of formation of nitrosamines does not exist in such products. One product, where such conditions may be met, is bacon. Keeping the residual nitrite content low in bacon minimizes the risk of formation of nitrosamines. Sodium or potassium nitrate (Na/KNO3) (saltpetre) may also be used for curing but it is limited to certain dry cured products such as raw hams, which require long curing and aging periods. Nitrate must be broken down by bacteria to nitrite, which is the substance to react through its NO with the muscle pigment myoglobin. The bacterial process is rather slow and time consuming. As most products require an immediate curing effect, the nitrite is the substance of choice in most cases and there is little use for nitrate. A great deal of research has been done with regard to the utilization of nitrite and it can be said that nitrite in meat products is safe if basic rules are adhered to. Nitrite is now recognized a substance with multifunctional beneficial properties in meat processing: The primary purpose of nitrite is to create a heat resistant red colour in a chemical reaction with the muscle pigment, which makes cured meat products attractive for consumers. Nitrite has a certain inhibitory effect on the growth of bacteria. This effect is particularly pronounced in canned meat products which are usually stored without refrigeration, where small numbers of heat resistant bacteria may have survived but their growth is inhibited by the presence of nitrite.

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Nitrite has the potential of attributing a specific desirable curing flavour to cured products. In the presence of nitrite fats are stabilized and rancidity in meat products retarded i.e., an antioxidant effect. Many attempts have been made to replace nitrite by other substances, which would bring about the same beneficial effects as listed above. Up to now no alternative substance has been found. As the above desirable effects are achieved with extremely low levels of nitrite, the substance can be considered safe from the health point of view. Currently the known advantages of nitrite outweigh the known risks. Curing of chopped/comminuted meat mixtures Curing is applied for most chopped meat mixtures or sausage mixes for which a reddish colour is desired. The curing agent nitrite is added in dry form as nitrite curing salt (Fig. 62). The reaction of nitrite with the red meat pigment starts immediately. Due to homogenous blending the meat pigments have instant contact with the nitrite. Higher temperatures during processing, e.g. reddening of raw-cooked type sausages at 50C or scalding/cooking of other products at 70-80C, accelerate the process. Another accelerating or catalytic effect is the addition of ascorbic acid, which slightly lowers the pH of the meat mixture. However, the dosage of ascorbic acid must be low (0.05%), just to provide the slightly acid conditions for the reduction of NaNO2 to NO. A pronounced reduction of the pH would negatively affect the water binding capacity of the product which is not desirable.

Linking

After the batter passes quality control checks, it is pumped into an automatic stuffer/linker machine. In this machine, batter is put into tube-shaped, cellulose casings. These casing are then twisted at precise points to produce a long linked strand of equally sized hot dogs. Most casing are removed later in the process however, some manufacturers continue to use natural casings, which remain on and are eaten along with the hot dog. This more traditional method of hot dog making is done by smaller manufacturers and tends to cost more.

Cooking

The linked hot dog strands are then conveyed to a large smokehouse. Here, they are thoroughly cooked under controlled conditions. The manufacturer has the opportunity at this point to impart a different flavor on the hot dogs by using a variety of smoke sources. The cooking times vary depending on the recipe however, typically it takes about an hour.

Smoking Smoke for treatment of meat products is produced from raw wood. Smoke is generated through the thermal destruction of the wood components lignin and cellulose. The thermal destruction sets free more than 1000 desirable or undesirable firm, liquid or gaseous components of wood. These useful components contribute to the development of the following desirable effects on processed meat products:

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Meat preservation through aldehydes, phenols and acids (anti-microbial effect) Antioxidant impact through phenols and aldehydes (retarding fat oxidation) Smoke flavour through phenols, carbonyls and others (smoking taste) Smoke colour formation through carbonyls and aldehydes (attractive colour)

Surface hardening of sausages/casings through aldehydes (in particular for more rigid structure of the casing) The most known undesirable effect of smoking is the risk of residues of benzopyrene in smoked products which can be carcinogenic if the intake is in high doses over long periods. With normal eating habits, a carcinogenic risk is normally not associated with moderately smoked food such as smoked meat products. The principle of both methods is that the smoke infiltrates the outside layers of the product in order to develop flavour, colour and a certain preservation effect. Cold Smoking This is the traditional way of smoking of meat products and was primarily used for meat preservation. Nowadays it serves more for flavour and colour formation, for example in sausages made from precooked materials such as liver sausage and blood sausage. The combination of cold smoking and drying/ripening can be applied to fermented sausages and salted or cured entire meat pieces (see page 176), in particular many raw ham products. In long-term ripened and dried hams, apart from providing colour and favour, the cold smoking has an important preservative effect as it prevents the growth of moulds on the meat surfaces. The optimal temperature in cold smoking is 15 to 18C (up to 26C). Sawdust should be burned slowly with light smoke only and the meat hung not too close to the source of the smoke. Cold smoking is a long process which may take several days. It is not applied continuously, but in intervals of a few hours per day. Hot Smoking Hot smoking is carried out at temperatures of +60 to 80C. The thermal destruction of the wood used for the smoking is normally not sufficient to produce these temperatures in the smoking chamber. Hence, additional heat has to be applied in the smoking chamber. The relatively high temperatures in hot smoking assure a rapid colour and flavour development. The treatment period is kept relatively short in order to avoid excessive impact of the smoke (too strong smoke colour and flavour). Hot smoking periods vary from not much longer than 10 minutes for sausages with a thin calibre such as frankfurters to up to one hour for sausages with a thick calibre such as bologna and ham sausage and products like bacon and cooked hams. Products and smoking Cold smoking is used for fermented meat products (raw-cured ham, raw-fermented sausage) and precookedcooked sausage (liver and blood sausages). Hot smoking is used for a range of raw-cooked sausages, bacon and cooked ham products. Smoke treatment can only be applied, if meat the products are filled in casings permeable to smoke. All natural casings are smoke permeable, as are cellulose or collagen basis synthetic casings. Smoke permeable casings can also be treated using a new technology, where a liquid smoke solution is applied on the surface. This can be done by dipping in solution, showering (outside chamber) or atomization (spraying inside chamber). Polyamide or polyester based synthetic casings are not permeable to smoke. If smoke flavour is wanted for products in such casings, small quantities of suitable smoke flavour (dry or liquid) are added directly to the product mix during manufacture. Production of liquid smoke Liquid smoke can be used as an ingredient to sausages in smoke impermeable casings in order to achieve a certain degree of smoke flavour. As impermeable casings do not allow the penetration of gaseous smoke, liquid smoke can be added to the sausage mix during the manufacturing process. The starting point for the production of liquid smoke is natural smoke, generated by burning/smouldering wood under controlled temperatures with the input of an air supply. There are basically two different methods used for the subsequent processing of liquid smoke:

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Final processing

When the cooking is done, the hot dog links are moved via a conveyor to an automatic peeler. During their trip, they are showered with water to help equalize their internal temperature. In the peeler, the cellulose casings are cut away leaving only the bare hot dogs. It should be noted that this step is skipped by manufacturers who use natural casings. From the peeler, the individual hot dogs are transported to the packaging machinery. Here, they are lined up and placed on a plastic film. The films are folded and vacuum-sealed to preserve the hot dog's flavor and increase shelf life. Printed on the films are all of the graphics and required text needed for marketing. The sealed packages are moved to a stamping machine, which prints on a freshness date. They are next transported to boxing devices, put on pallets and shipped in refrigerated trucks to local supermarkets. The entire process of hot dog making from receiving the meat to boxing up the hot dog takes only a few hours.

Equipment

Meat preparation

Blending

Stuffing & linking

Cooking

Packing & delivery

Metal detectors

Fork lifts Grinders Conveyors Blenders Emulsifier

Stuffers Conveyors Link cutters Massagers Injectors

Continuous ovens Batch ovens Microwave chambers

Metal detectors Lifts Conveyors Chillers

Metal detectors
When this conveyorized detector senses metal contamination in a poultry or meat product, the product is ejected from the conveyor by a punch-reject mechanism powered by an air cylinder. The rejected product exits the production flow at a 90-degree angle and lands in a stainless steel lockable reject bin for further QC inspection. In modern meat processing, most of the processing steps can be mechanized. In fact, modern meat processing would not be possible without the utilization of specialized equipment. Such equipment is available for small-scale, medium-sized or large-scale operations. The major items of meat processing equipment needed to fabricate the most commonly known meat products are listed and briefly described hereunder.

Meat grinder (Mincer)

Fig. Schematic drawing of grinder A meat grinder is a machine used to force meat or meat trimmings by means of a feeding worm (auger) under pressure through a horizontally mounted cylinder (barrel). At the end of the barrel there is a cutting system consisting of star-shaped knives rotating with the feeding worm and stationary perforated discs (grinding plates). The perforations of the grinding plates normally range from 1 to 13mm. The meat is compressed by the rotating feeding auger, pushed through the cutting system and extrudes through the holes in the grinding plates after being cut by the revolving star knives. Simple equipment has only one star knife and grinder plate, but

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normally a series of plates and rotary knives is used. The degree of mincing is determined by the size of the holes in the last grinding plate. If frozen meat and meat rich in connective tissue is to be minced to small particles, it should be minced first through a coarse disc followed by a second operation to the desired size. Two different types of cutting systems are available, the Enterprise System and the Unger System:

Fig. Grinder: Worm feed (feeding worm/auger) and cutting set with plates and knives (system "Unger")

The Enterprise System is mainly used in smaller meat grinders with orifice diameters up to 98 mm and consists of one star knife, sharpened only on the side facing the disc, and one grinder plate. Hole diameters can vary from 13 to 5 mm. The Unger System is used in meat grinders with orifice diameters up to 440 mm and consists of the kidney plate, one or two star knives sharpened on both edges and one or two grinder plates. For a final particle size above 8 mm the recommended setting is kidney plate star knife grinder plate. For a final particle size <8 mm the recommended setting is kidney plate star knife grinder plate (13 mm) star knife grinder plate (6 to 1 mm).

Fig. 21: Grinder plates of different hole size, star knives and spacer rings for tightening of cutting assembly The smallest type of meat grinder is the manual grinder designed as a simple stuffing grinder, i.e. meat material is manually stuffed into the feeder. For all these small machines the Enterprise cutting system is used with one star knife and one grinder plate. These machines are very common everywhere in food processing but their throughput and production capacity is limited due to the small size and manual operation. The intermediate size meat grinder, also designed as a stuffing grinder, has orifice diameters up to 98 mm. It is driven by a built-in single-phase electrical motor (250 V) and available as both a table and floor model. The meat is put onto the tray and continuously fed by hand into a vertical cylindrical hole leading to the feed auger. The meat or fat is forced by its own weight into the barrel with the rotating feed auger. This type of meat grinder is the most suitable for commercial small-scale operations. Some brands use the Enterprise cutting system, others the Unger system .

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Fig. Grinder as table Fig. Grinder as floor model model Large industrial meat grinders are driven by a three-phase electrical motor (400 V) and equipped with the Unger cutting system. The orifice cylinder diameter of this type of grinder ranges from 114 - 400 mm. Industrial grinders are either designed as stuffing grinders with either tray or hopper or as an automatic mixing grinder. The automatic mixing grinder has a big hopper and the meat falls automatically onto the mixing blades and the feeding worm (auger). The mixing blades and feeding worm can be operated independently with mixing blades rotating in both directions but the feeding worm only towards the cutting set. Most of the industrial meat grinders are also equipped with a device for separating tendons, bone particles and cartilage. Fig. Manual grinder

Filling machine (sausage stuffer)

Fig. 31: Piston stuffer, schematic These machines are used for filling all types of meat batter in containers such as casings, glass jars, cans etc. The most common type of filling machine in small and medium size operations is the piston type. A piston is moved inside a cylinder forcing the meat material through the filling nozzle (funnel, stuffing horn) into the containers. Piston stuffers are either attached to the filling table or designed as floor models. In small-scale operations manual stuffers are usually sufficient, sometimes even simple hand-held funnels are used to push meat mixes into casings.

Fig. Principle of continuous stuffer (can also be operated with vacuum) a = Hopper (recipient for meat mix), b = Rotating transport segments for meat mix c = to filling nozzle; pink colour = meet mix (transport flow)

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Modern filling machines for larger operations are designed as continuous vacuum stuffers (Fig. 34). During the filling process a substantial part of the enclosed air is removed from the product, which helps to improve colour and texture of the finished products. These models are usually equipped with a portioning and twisting devise and have a casing grip devise attached for filling of shirred (folded) uncut collagen and plastic casings. This type of continuous filling equipment is relatively expensive and are thus not used in small- to medium-size operations.

Clipping machine

Fig. Manually operated sausage clipping machine with clip rails (left) Clipping machines place small aluminium sealing clips on the sausage ends and replace the manual tying of sausages. They can be used for artificial or natural casings. Clipping machines can also be connected to filling machines. Such machines work with so called casing brakes, which are devices for slow release of the shirred casings from the filling horns ensuring tight filling. Then the filled casing segments are clipped in portions. So called double clipping machines place two clips next to each other, which ensures that the individual sausage portions remain clipped on both ends and easy separation of the sausage portions is possible. When using shirred casings, the time consuming loading of pre-cut casings is no longer necessary. Wastage of casings can be reduced to a minimum by tight filling and leaving only as much casing for the sausage end as needed for the placing of the clips. Clipping machines are mainly used in larger operations and in most cases operated by compressed air. For medium-scale operations manually operated hand clippers are available.

Smokehouses
Simple smokehouses are used for smoking only. In traditional and small-scale operations the most common methods of smoke generation include burning damp hardwood sawdust, heating dry sawdust or heating pieces of log. But technological progress has changed the smoke generation and application techniques. Methods used in modern meat processing include the following:

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Fig. Arrangement of sausages for smoking inside smokehouse, schematic

Fig. Small-scale smokehouse (sawdust is placed on the smouldering tray)

Smoke generation through friction

Timber (3), which is pressed (1) against a fast-rotating steel drum (4) results in pyrolysis of the wood in the favourable temperature range of 300C to 400C. The flameless, light, dense and aromatic smoke contains a large proportion of desirable smoking substances and a low proportion of tars. The smoke is conveyed (2) into the smoking chamber. The creation of smoke can be commenced and completed in a matter of seconds. The operation of this type of smoke generators is usually carried out in a discontinuous manner. The smoke quantity and quality can be regulated by changing the speed and time of rotation. As this type of smoke can be produced at relatively low temperatures, it does not carry high amounts of hazardous substances such as benzopyrene.

Fig. Friction smoke generator

Smoke generation through steam

Overheated steam (3) at approximately 300C is injected into a compact layer of sawdust (4), which causes thermal destruction of the wood and smoke is generated. This method allows the control of smoke generation temperature by choosing the adequate steam temperature. Impurities in the smoke caused by particles of tar or ash are minimal. The steam-smoke mixture condensates extremely quickly and intensively on the surface and inside the sausage products and produces the desired smoking colour and flavour. No connection to the chimney is required as smoke particles not entering the products settle down in the condensing steam. The condensed water is conducted to the effluent system. Other details of the system are: Hopper and conveyer for sawdust (1,2), smoke duct to smoking chamber (5), ashes (6).

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Fig. Unit for generation of smoke by steam

Combined equipment
Modern facilities can combine smoking, cooking and cooling operations for meat products in one continuous process. By means of automatic stirring systems processing parameters such as smoke generation, temperature (up to 100C) and relative humidity (up to 100%) required to dry, smoke, or steam-cook any type of product, can be pre-set. With additional refrigerated units installed in the smokehouse, it is also possible to use it as a fermenting/ripening room for the first crucial steps in production of fermented sausages or raw ham products, where air temperature and air humidity have to be accurately controlled.

Fig. Small smokehouse, inside view, air/smoke circulation forced by extraction fan on top (arrow) and recirculated through openings in double jacket side wall (arrow)

Fig. Smokehouse with sausages ready for smoking

Brine injector
This equipment serves for the injection of brine into meat. Brine is water containing dissolved salt and curing substances (nitrite) as well as additives such as phosphates, spices, sugar, carrageenan and/or soy proteins (see page 179). The injection is done by introducing pointed needles into the muscle tissue. Brine injection is mainly used for the various types of ham, bacon and other whole muscle products. Brine injectors are available in different sizes from manually operated single-needle devices for small-scale operations to semiautomated brine injectors with up to 32 needles and more. In large machines the quantity of brine injected into the fresh meat can be determined by pre-setting of pressure and speed. It is very important that all parts of the brine injectors are thoroughly cleaned after every working session and disinfected regularly. Before the injector is used again all hoses and needles should be rinsed with warm water as particles left in the system can block the needles. Absolute cleanliness is necessary as microorganisms remaining in the system would be injected deep into the meat pieces during the operation.

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Fig. Brine injectors, pump driven, manually operated, with single needle (left) and multi needle device (right)

Fig. Manual pump type injector (left), syringe type injector (right)

Fig. Multi-needle injector, schematic a - Main brine supply pipe, b - Brine distribution pipe, c - Injection needle, d Meat piece to be injected, e - Sliding needle holder, f - Excess brine collection pan

Fig. Multi-needle injector, semi-automated

Tumbler or Massager
Tumblers are used for the processing of meat products such as whole-muscle or reconstituted hams. Such machines resemble in principle a drum concrete mixer. A rotating drum with steel paddles inside slowly moves the meat pieces thus causing a mechanical massaging effect. This mechanical process is assisted by the addition of salt and phosphates to achieve equal brine distribution and liberates muscular protein from the meat tissue (protein extraction). The semi-liquid protein substances join the meat pieces firmly together during later heat treatment. For hygienic reasons it is important to place the tumbler below 10C to avoid excessive microbial growth during lengthy tumbling times (more then 4 hours or even over night). In specific cases it is recommended that the tumbler should be operated refrigerated or inside a cold room below -1C, as these temperatures are best to extract as much soluble protein as possible from the muscle meat.

Fig. Tumbler, schematic

Vacuum packaging machine

For vacuum packaging the meat product has to be placed into a vacuum bag (multi-layer synthetic bag, see page 270). Air is removed from the bag by means of the vacuum packaging machine (Fig. 50) and the bag then sealed (see page 273). Special vacuum packaging machines can operate with so called gas-flushing, where a mixture of gas is injected after evacuating the air. Such protective gas

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atmospheres inside the product package inhibit bacterial growth and stabilize the meat colour. The gas mixtures usually contain CO2 and N2 (see page 275).

Fig. Vacuum packaging machine (table model)

Mixer / blender
Mixers are used to blend meat and spices, or coarse and finely chopped meat. The machine generally consists of a rectangular or round bottom vessel through which two parallel shafts operate (Fig. 51). Various paddles are mounted on those shafts to mix the meat. The mixer is discharged through tilting by 90 degrees. Some mixers are designed as vacuum mixers (Fig. 52), as the mixing under vacuum (exclusion of oxygen) has advantages for the development of desirable product colour and texture.

Fig. Blender, schematic

Fig. Blender with lid for hermetic closure for vacuum treatment; can be declined for emptying

Emulsifying machine (colloid mill)

Fig. Emulsifying machine, schematic The emulsifier serves for the preparation of very fine meat emulsions. Its functional parts are a perforated plate, attached to which two edged blades are rotating (rotor blade) Next to the blades there is a centrifugal pump that forces the pre-ground meat through the perforated plate. Most emulsifiers are vertical units. Compared to the bowl cutter the emulsifier operates at much higher speed, producing a finer emulsion-like mix. The emulsifier is also perfectly suited to produce semi-processed products such as pig skin emulsions.

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Ice flaker

Fig. Ice flaker with storage compartment In these machines ice flakes are continuously produced from potable water. Ice is needed in meat processing for some types of meat products. Water, added in the form of ice, is an important ingredient in order to enhance protein solution (see page 128) and to keep the temperature of the meat batter low. Ice flakers with in-built UV-water-disinfection device are available for areas with unsafe water supply.

Frozen meat cutter

Fig. Frozen meat cutter with rotating round knives for cutting out pieces/chips from frozen meat blocks

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The purpose of cutting frozen meat blocks into smaller pieces is to make frozen meat suitable for immediate comminuting in grinders, bowl cutters etc. without previous thawing. There are two types of machines for the cutting of frozen meat blocks, working either with knives cutting in vertical direction (guillotine principle) or using rotating drums with attached sharp knives. In the guillotine-type machines a knife head is driven hydraulically and even the hardest frozen products can be cut into small pieces, either meat cubes or meat strips. Rotary frozen meat cutters (Fig. 57) operate according to the principle of carving out particles from the frozen meat blocks. The rotary drums can be equipped with knives capable of cutting out pieces of frozen meat from large fist-size to small chip-size. Phase 3: Health, Safety and Environment; Research & Development Process Safety Food products, specifically meat products, must be manufactured in a safe and hygienic way. This would not only ensure high quality products but also consumers satisfaction and trust. Furthermore, it would end up in a successful business venture. Raw materials must be of good quality if high quality end product is to be achieved. In the same way, ingredients and manufacturing process must also be of good quality to obtain the desired outcome. The three areas that should be focused on about safety are the raw material, the total manufacturing process and the distribution of product (Cassens, 1994). Since the main contaminant of meat products are microorganisms, it must be ensured that the personnel, equipment, and manufacturing areas are clean and sanitized to prevent and minimize the growth of such microorganisms. The most important concept in the safe processing of meat products is its processing in a hygienic way. Personal Hygiene (Heinz, et al., 2007) Personal protective equipment (PPE) are important to avoid contamination of the raw materials and meat products by direct contact with clothes, body parts, and breath. Furthermore, PPE is also necessary for the safety of the workers. The following are important parts of the PPE: 1. Protective clothing Clean protective clothing must be worn by workers in order to avoid contamination of the workplaces, raw materials, and end products. Either one-piece overalls or two-piece sets are recommended as they cover the complete body. 2. Headgears Headgears such as caps and/or hairnets must be used to prevent human hair from falling off on equipment, materials, and products. 3. Gloves and mouth protection Workers must also wear gloves especially when filling the meat materials and mouth protection is recommended. Wearing of latex gloves are recommended to avoid direct contact of materials and products with hands and also to avoid contamination of the products. Aside from wearing PPE, workers must also employ the following practices in the workplace: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. wash hands before starting to work repeatedly wash hands during work remove accessories or jewelries clean hands/tools/clothes if contaminated cover fresh wounds by a water tight bandage, however, workers that are heavily wounded are not allowed to work with meat observe toilet hygiene, and attend periodic medical examination.

Meat Processing Hygiene Meat processing hygiene is part of Quality Management (QM) of meat plants and refers to hygienic measures employed in the manufacturing process of meat products. Regulatory authorities provide the laws and regulations on food/meat hygiene and monitor

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the implementation of these laws in manufacturing plants. However, it is the responsibility of the manufacturing plants to develop and apply meat hygiene programs that are applicable to their range of products (Heinz, et al., 2007). Quality Management Schemes have technical and hygienic component. Technical aspects cover product composition, processing technologies, packaging, storage and distribution while hygienic components include the two components known as Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) (Heinz, et al., 2007). Technical aspects have already been discussed and the main area of discussion is the hygienic aspects related to processing of meat products. 1. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a scientific approach to process control and it is designed to apply controls on each step in food production where critical circumstances could occur so that high quality products and safe food could be attained (USDA). According to Feiner, HACCP focuses on analysing and controlling critical points within the manufacturing process to produce safe food. From the definition of Heinz, et al., HACCP identifies, evaluates and controls hazards, which are important for food safety. It is evident that HACCP is a necessary tool to ensure safety of food products. It focuses on prevention rather than relying on end-product testing. Furthermore, HACCP is factory and product specific and can also be used to prevent, detect, and control hazards in each processing step. In meat processing plants, such hazards are induced by: (1) contaminated raw materials, (2) breakdown in refrigeration, (3) failure in cooking/sterilization operations, (4) abnormal pH or aw in raw or finished products, and (5) incorrect amount of curing salts and other additives. 2. Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) applies hygienic principles and laws and regulations issued by authorities concerning safety for meat products, raw materials, equipment, workplace, and personnel. GHP is not manufacturing plant specific and can be applied to all meat factories. In addition, GHP for meat processing plants refers to: (1) hygienic raw materials, (2) efficient plant layout for operation and cleaning as well as sanitary design of equipment, (3) sanitary processing of meat materials, (4) appropriate waste and pest control measures, (5) appropriate sanitation procedures (cleaning and disinfection), (6) hygiene of personnel and regular health check-up, and (7) regular training of staff on hygiene requirements. To produce a high quality product, the hygienic practices employed on slaughtering are also of equal importance. Raw meats that are used for further processing must be of low microbial contamination and free of any unnecessary component. Meat products that are made of hygienically deficient raw meat are unattractive in colour and tasteless or untypical in taste. Furthermore, the products will have low shelf life and there is a high possibility of having food poisoning microorganisms. To produce quality meat as a raw material, it must be ensured that the animal to be slaughtered is free of undesirable substances such as dirt and manure. In addition, suitable slaughtering and inspection procedures must be observed and proper hygiene must be employed (e.g. workers, equipment, and workplace hygiene) (Cassens, 1994). Each meat processing plant should have internal hygiene programs and for it to be implemented successfully, personnel must be familiar with such programs and they must be able to apply them. Staff must be efficiently trained on safe and hygienic manufacturing of meat products to produce high quality end products. During work, personnel must be of good health condition, clean, and wearing PPE. Meat processing plants must have efficient plant lay-out in order to ensure and maintain cleanliness of the workplaces. There must be enough rooms for the personnel such that there are sections for changing clothes and for personal hygiene. Windows must be at least 2 meters high from the floor for efficient cleaning and sanitation of walls and floors. Furthermore, window frames must not be painted and must not be made of corrosive material such as aluminium. Walls where meat materials are handled should be smooth at least 2 m high for easy cleaning and preferably made of tiles. Moreover, the floors should be impermeable for water, smooth for easy cleaning but should also be anti-slip at the same time for safety. The floors are usually made from fat-resistant concrete and can be added with covering made of epoxy substances or floor ceramics. The junction between walls and floor must be coved (rounded) for proper cleaning and to serve as shock absorbers for transport trolleys. All wet rooms must have floor drains that are covered by noncorrosive metals plates or grills. The drains must be easily removable for proper cleaning of the drains. Waste water from hand-wash facilities, tool sterilizers, etc must flow through pipes directly into effluent drains without contaminating the floor. Rooms must have sufficient ventilation. Air conditioning is only required for meat cutting/deboning rooms (10-12C). Supply systems for electrical wiring and pipes for hot and cold water as well as for compressed air should not interfere with cleaning and should not be prone to contamination. Insulations for hot water pipes must have smooth surfaces and be washable. Furthermore, openings for ventilation must be bird- and insect-proof (Heinz, et al., 2007). Equipment used for processing meat must be in accordance with GHP. They should be properly designed and constructed as to provide easy cleaning and avoid accumulation of materials. All surfaces of the equipment that is in contact with meat, fat, and other ingredients must be made of food grade stainless steel or synthetic materials. In addition, working tables, meat hooks, knives, saws,

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and axes that are in contact with the said materials should also be made of stainless steel. All the stainless steel parts must be smooth, easily accessible for cleaning and without hidden spaces, where particles of meat materials may accumulate. Galvanized steel or foodgrade aluminium are non-corrosive materials and are used in meat industries for overhead rails and supporting structures, working platforms and frames for tables and machinery. However, these materials should not be in direct contact with meat since they are not sufficiently smooth and may release unwanted substances. Food grade synthetic materials are used for many types of meat containers and for handles of knives and other hand tools, for cutting boards and some internal parts of meat processing equipment such as washers, parts of valves, etc. (Heinz, et al., 2007). Cleaning and sanitation is an integral part of GHP and is considered the most important activities in meat processing plants since they provide the necessary environment for proper handling and processing of meat. It involves the disinfection of plant premises and equipment. Since it is food that is to be processed, it is very important to ensure the cleanliness of the equipment and environment where the products are manufactured. If cleaning and sanitation is neglected, it can cause economical losses, low quality products, low shelf life, spoilage, and food-borne diseases. Thus, manufacturing plants must invest on sanitary practices that ensure and maintain the cleanliness of the plant premises to mainly avoid financial losses, produce quality products, and to gain trust from consumers. For cleaning to be efficient, equipment and plant premises must be cleaning-friendly, that is, they must have the necessary characteristics for cleaning to be easy and profound (already discussed). Furthermore, proven methods for plant cleaning and sanitation must be available and personnel must be regularly instructed and trained in cleaning and sanitation methods (Heinz, et al., 2007). Cleaning is method wherein is the removal of dirt and organic substances, such as fats and protein particles from surface of walls, floors, tools and equipment. Through cleaning, majority of the microorganisms (about 90% or more) can be removed but some cannot be completely removed even through profound cleaning. These microorganisms attach firmly to the surfaces and produce an almost invisible layer of organic materials called biofilms. This is where sanitation enters. Sanitation is the killing of microorganisms through disinfectants and the elimination of pests through chemical substances such as insecticides and rodenticides. Disinfectants are chemical substances that kill microorganisms but should not be hazardous to human health and should not be capable of corroding the equipment. Cleaning and disinfection procedures must take into account the building, the type of meat being handled and produced and how it flows through the building (Cassens, 1994). Furthermore, the composition of the surfaces to be treated and the type of contamination to be removed must also be considered (Heinz, et al., 2007). The material of the equipment from where it is constructed should not just be considered but also whether the equipment can be easily disassembled for cleaning. The most necessary aspect for cleaning and sanitation procedures is that the personnel must have enough knowledge and skills on proper cleaning and the precise chemicals to be used for disinfection. The first step in cleaning is called dry cleaning wherein scraps are removed with a dry brush or broom and shovel. No water should be utilized since its usage would cause clogging of drains and overloading of wastewater treatment facilities (Heinz, et al., 2007). Remaining soil, such as bits of meat and smeared fat, are then removed using high pressure water which is applied using high pressure units and special spraying lances. High pressure units are efficient for removing dirt from walls and floor. The pressure should be between 30-70 bar and the spraying nozzle should be at most 15 cm from the surface to be cleaned. If hot water is to be used, the temperature should be 55C at the nozzle. Furthermore, if the water used was too hot, the meat protein can be cooked in place resulting to an undesirable build-up. The quality of the water such as hardness should also be considered. Water hardness reduces the effectiveness of detergents and causes surface build-ups (Cassens, 1994). After that the soil is removed, it does not mean that the surfaces are completely clean. Chemical cleaning solutions can be effective in removing sticky or encrusted layers of fat protein that still exist. These cleaning solutions usually fall under the categories of alkaline and acid. These substances penetrate and loosen the soil. Alkalines are efficient in dissolving proteins and fats but may cause corrosion in tools and equipment if their pH is 11 and above (Heinz, et al., 2007). Surface-active agents, also called surfactants or detergents, are added in order to improve the dirt loosening properties of the chemical cleaning solutions. Detergents decrease the superficial tension of water, and then water can penetrate into the small spaces between dirt particles and surfaces, where those particles are attached thus facilitating removal (Heinz, et al., 2007). A new method to remove dirt is to use foam generators that mix in detergents. Water foam is sprayed on wetted walls, floors, and surfaces of equipment. The foam clings in place therefore has sufficient time to exert loosening action on the soil. Cleaning removes microorganisms but this process cannot completely eliminate them. Remaining microorganisms on plant premises can cause further contamination of food products. These contaminants can be efficiently removed through disinfection, either by using hot water or steam or by using chemical disinfectants/sanitizers. Chemical disinfectants are preferred since they are easy to use and do not involve the risk of accidents or other negative side effects as imposed by using steam such as damage to equipment by generating high humidity or water condensation (Heinz, et al., 2007). Sanitation is efficient only when the process is preceded by

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thorough dry/wet cleaning because the effectiveness of sanitizers is diminished if there are remaining soils on the area. Furthermore, microorganisms still remain in soils, which cannot be properly removed by disinfectants. There are two general classes of disinfectants: the halogens and the surfactants. The halogens that are normally used are chlorine and iodine compounds. Chlorine compounds deteriorate during storage, are less effective above pH 6 and corrosive and may act as skin irritants. Iodine compounds are effective in pH ranges of 2.5 to 3.5. The commonly available surfactants are the quaternary ammonium compounds and acid ionic compounds. They have good sanitizing activity and detergent properties. However, they are not effective in eliminating coliforms and gram-negative bacteria (Cassens, 1994). It is recommended to alternate periodically the type of chemical disinfectant applied in order to achieve a maximum disinfection effect. Doing so could eliminate the surviving bacteria from the previous sanitation process (Heinz, et al., 2007). II. Waste Management A. Kinds of wastes generated (European Bank) Meat processing plants use a large quantity of water to clean and sanitize the plant premises and equipment used for processing meat products. Effluent produced by these plants cause pollution problems due to the high content of animal fat, blood, and cleaning detergents. Solid wastes in meat processing plants originate primarily from packaging materials used to protect and preserve meat products. Solid wastes are in the form of discarded packaging offcuts and improperly packaged meat products. B. Hazards and Risks The effluent can may build-up in drainage systems that could further cause clogging. Also, effluent contains pathogenic and nonpathogenic viruses, bacteria, and parasite eggs. Meanwhile, solid wastes in waste streams will also result to clogging of the drainage system. These wastes generated from meat processing plants could result to bad odour, water pollution, and health problems. Thus, it is necessary for them to be treated in wastewater treatment facilities. C. Control and preventive systems used The produced effluent are not directly discharged to water bodies since it can pollute them causing damage to the environment. Thus, manufacturers have on-site sewage treatment facilities which treat the produced effluent so that the liquid wastes are permitted to enter local sewage systems, rivers, or streams. The facilities are located some distance from the plant and are maintained in order for them to not cause problems and irritations. The sewage treatment involves the separation of the solids from the liquid followed by treatment of the two parts separately. The procedures applied in the operations are a combination of mechanical treatment, chemical treatment, and activated sludge process. In mechanical treatment, the solids from the sewage are removed with the use of screens, filters, sedimentation basins, trickling filters, and grit chambers. Chemical treatment employs the use of ferric sulphate or chloride or aluminum sulphate with lime to coagulate the solids which are then removed by sedimentation or filtration. In activated sludge process, raw sewage is digested by microorganisms. One method employs aerobic microorganisms, while in another the sludge is activated by seeding it with anaerobic microorganisms. The solids that are removed from the sewage are then buried or used as filling or are sold as fertilizers. The liquid from the treated sewage are chlorinated before they are discharged to water bodies (Miller, 1958). The accumulated fats in the on-site drainage systems are removed by spraying the effluent with hot water. Also, fat interceptors on all drains are installed. It is ensured that these fat interceptors are inspected and cleaned regularly. The production of effluent is minimized by reducing the water volume used through the use of high-pressure hoses and through the re-use and recirculation of water. To minimize the production of solid wastes from packaging materials, these materials must be easily recyclable. To encourage recycling, solid wastes are stored in adequate containers and are segregated. Furthermore, solid wastes are properly disposed of regularly to avoid odor, litter, fly, and rodent problems. Furthermore, grids are installed to reduce or avoid introduction of solid wastes into the waste water drainage system. Solids wastes are also removed from transport equipment and work areas before cleaning or washing. D. Pollution Control

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1. Refrigerants Meat processing plants chill their products to preserve them. The refrigerants used are Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) which are substances that can deplete the ozone layer. To reduce the use of these types of refrigerants, ammonia is becoming more commonly used as alternative refrigerant. 2. Odor In meat processing plants, the main sources of odor are: (1) cooking of animal materials, (2) animal residues, (3) decomposition of organic matter, (4) overloading effluent treatment systems that result in the emission of hydrogen sulphide and other compounds, and (5) untreated effluent. These sources of odor in meat processing plants are managed properly in order to avoid serious problems especially when the plants are located near residential areas or a hot climate. Odor condensers are used in order to control the odor. These condensers dissolves many of the offensive gases and carries them to the sewer, thus minimizing the odor (Miller, 1958). III. Occupational Safety A. Manual Handling and Repetitive Work Musculoskeletal injuries occur to workers due to repetitive tasks such as carrying and lifting heavy materials and meat products and cleaning. Manual work such as removing unnecessary substance in mixed meat materials and filling the materials into cans also cause such injuries. To avoid musculoskeletal injuries due to heavy lifting or repetitive tasks, manual processes are redesigned. Mechanical lifting aids are installed or tasks are rotated so that repetition of work is minimized. B. Noise Workers suffer from hearing loss if working in noisy areas. To minimize employees exposure to noise, the following are employed: (1) isolate noisy equipment, (2) rotate the tasks so that time spent in noisy areas is reduced, and (3) provide personal protective equipment. Ear muffs are worn at work areas with intolerable noise levels. C. Slips, Trips and Falls Slips, trips and falls caused by slippery floors and surfaces due to oil and fat deposits which are not completely removed or efficiently cleaned occur in meat processing plants. Thus, it must be ensured that the working area is clean and dry and workers are provided with anti-slip footwear. Also, workers are restricted to areas that are being cleaned or where spills have occurred. D. Sharp Edges and Machinery Personnel may suffer from cuts due to sharp equipment edges and tools. To avoid injury, all equipment should have safety guarding and workers must wear PPE to protect against unavoidable sharp tools and edges. Moreover, personnel must be efficiently trained in the correct use of equipment and safety devices. Wire meshes are incorporated on their gloves and belly areas, to protect that from accidental cuts and injuries. E. Allergic Reactions Employees suffer from have allergic reactions due to some ingredients used as additives to process meat products. Thus, employees must be aware of them and avoid substances that are dangerous for their health. F. Hazardous Substances Inappropriate handling and storage of chemical disinfectants used for cleaning and sanitizing plant premises could lead to chemical contact burns to workers and inhalation of harmful/toxic fumes or ingestion of harmful substances. Furthermore, exposure to ammonia, which is used as alternative refrigerant, is toxic if inhaled at high concentrations and can cause frostbite when released to the atmosphere. To avoid the harmful effects of these substances, they must be handled and stored properly. Personnel that handle these substances must be knowledgeable of the properties, applications, and how these substances are used correctly. Goggles are worn in the smoke houses as to prevent liquid smoke, particularly the acetic acid in it, coming in contact with the eyes.

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G. Temperature Refrigeration systems may cause frostbite and contact burns. Working for long hours at low temperatures can also cause ill health. These negative effects are avoided by restricting times for workers in very cold or very hot areas. Quality control is an extremely important factor in any food processing facility. For health and safety reasons, the government regulates all of the raw materials that are used in the hot dog making process. The meat in particular is heavily regulated because the use of poor quality meat represents a significant health risk. Most manufacturers use only high quality meats to assure that their hot dogs are of similar quality. Upon receipt of the raw materials, they are checked for things such as pH, % moisture, odor, taste, and appearance to ensure they meet the previously set specifications. Additionally, the processing equipment is sterilized and checked before any processing can begin. During manufacture, the meat emulsion is continuously checked to assure that all the ingredients are put in at proper proportions. Since hot dogs are eaten, steps must be taken to ensure that they will have an appealing taste and be free from contamination. For this reason, tests similar to the ones run on the initial raw materials are performed on the final product. Purefoods has ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 and HACCP (Hazard and Critical Control Points) accreditation, addressing physical, chemical, and biological hazards as a means of prevention rather than finished product inspection. This approach has significant benefits to organisations operating within the food supply chain as it enables them to determine key controls over processes and concentrate resources on activities that are critical to ensuring safe food (Speirs, et al.) Occupational safety is strictly observed in the plant premises. A strict sanitation practiced is followed, foot dips and hand sanitation stations are installed in all room partitions. Freshly laundered uniforms are used, wherein a third party cleaning service is assigned. Third party cleaners are also assigned to clean each room (stuffing, oven and packaging rooms) every shift (the plant uses a 10 hours10 hours-4 hours shift, operating for the whole day). Product, process and market development Hot dogs are a well-established product and the technology for their production has changed little over the last century. However, hot dog marketers, particularly Purefoods, are continually looking for ways to increase sales. A recent trend is the introduction of more nutritious hot dogs. These products may use poultry meat, which has inherently less fat, or meat substitutes, which have no fat at all. They are also made with less sodium. New varieties of hot dogs are also being produced such as the cheese-containing dog, a product which is injected with a cheese sauce during manufacture. From a production standpoint, hot dog making of the future should be faster. Each year designers of production equipment develop faster, more efficient machines. This will help to make the process more automated and increase the yearly output of hot dogs. Continuous product development researches are conducted. Before releasing a new product in the market, like chicken nuggets with bacon and cheese fillings, they give out product samples at select markets, gathering statistical data with regards to the general acceptance of the public market. Surveys and field reports are also done to predict the products success. For old products, taste testing and per batch analysis are still on going to ensure excellent production. To quote Purefoods Hotdog Production Manager, Ace Alvarez, we are always open in venturing to new horizons. You can enjoy your nuggets now with bacon or cheese, even both, because our research tells us that the customers would want something new, but still has the old product in it.

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Works Cited Feiner, Gerhard. Meat Products Handbook: Practical Science and Technology. Cambridge, England: Woodhead Publishing Limited, 2006. Leo M.L. Nollet, Fidel Toldra. Handbook of Processed Meats and Poultry Analysis. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2009. Jakle, John A.; Sculle, Keith A. Fast Food, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, ISBN 0-8018-6109-8 Miller, A. R. Meat Hygiene. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 1958. Heinz, G., Hautzinger, P. Meat Processing Technology For Small- To Medium-Scale Producers. RAP Publications, 2007 Cassens, Robert G. Meat Preservation: Preventing Losses and Assuring Safety. Trumbull, Connecticut: Food & Nutrition Press, Inc., 1994. Commission, Australian Trade. Meat to the Philippines. 28 April 2010. 11 January 2011 <http://www.austrade.gov.au/Meat-to-thePhilippines/default.aspx>. International, Euromonitor. "CDO Foodsphere Inc - Packaged Food - Philippines." 2010. . "Chilled Processed Food - Philippines." 2010. . "Frozen Processed Food - Philippines." 2010. . "Monterey Foods Corp: Company Factfile." n.d. . "San Miguel Corp.: Company Factfile." n.d. . "San Miguel PureFoods Co Inc - Packaged Food - Philippines." 2010. http://www.nqa.com/en/atozservices/what-is-haccp.asp http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Packaging/Meat-and-poultry-metal-detector http://strasser.co.at/?page=m_old_woaj&lang=en&gclid=CPuI27Hlvq4CFQhU4godUDuyuA http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/question177.htm

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