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Healthy foundation JTM Food Group plans to grow across foodservice, chain-restaurant and retail channels.
10 | Regulations & Legislation: Role of processors in consumer education 12 | Fight for Food Safety: Turning the ‘phage’ to a new chapter
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Food safety episode
Read Us Online
NSF International’s Tom Chestnut discusses the Food Safety Modernization Act during Process Expo 2011.
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Departments New Products.................. 14 Ingredients ...................... 16 IPE Booth Profiles........... 52 Tech Showcase................ 56 Classifieds ....................... 62 Ad Index.......................... 70
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December 2011
Tech
Volume 225 Issue 12
Editorial Board
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The National Provisioner’s Editorial Board comprises highly respected experts associated with the meat and poultry industries who assist the editorial staff in bringing you insightful, relevant information. When you see this logo, you are reading content contributed by an Editorial Board member. Tim Biela AFA Foods
CONTRIBUTING THIS MONTH H. Russell Cross Texas A&M University Dan Emery Meaningful Solutions
FOOD SAFETY | 34
John E. Johnson
Focus on antimicrobial agents
JBS
Processors are using antimicrobials to keep pathogens at bay, and several experts chime in on the effectiveness of these interventions.
Leigh Ann Johnston Tyson Foods
PACKAGING TECH 50 | Chip Bolton takes a look at the ol’ reliable chub package. PROCESSING TECH
PROCESSING TECH
42 | Video auditing has become a powerful tool for
46 | Smarter cutting
slaughter operations across the industry.
and deboning.
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Regulations&Legislation
Role of processors in consumer education By Barbara J. Masters
n a recent study by Phang and Bruhn (Journal of Food Protection, 2011) only 4% of volunteers used a meat thermometer for checking burger doneness; only 13% knew the recommended internal temperature for ground beef; and the average hand-washing time for the volunteers was 8 seconds. Likewise, according to the 2011 International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation Food and Health Survey, “although 8 in 10 Americans report following general and basic safe food handling practices, the numbers continue to decline, for example with washing hands with soap and water before handling food (79% in 2011; 89% in 2010; 92% in 2008).”
I
Such studies suggest that consumer education needs to be incorporated into a processor’s food-safety efforts. Food processors need to augment the work that government agencies, meat and poultry trade associations, consumer advocate organizations, and university extension agencies are doing to educate consumers regarding the safe handling of products, especially raw products. Simple steps, such as hand-washing, preventing crosscontamination during preparation, proper cooking using a meat thermometer and prompt chilling of leftovers, are additional steps for consumers to utilize that can maintain food safety that was delivered at the processing establishment. Larger meat and poultry companies may have information on their Web site or a company spokesperson to assist with food-safety education. However, it is unclear how many companies contribute information on this aspect of food safety. Simple steps can be taken by establishments of all sizes to incorporate food-safety education as a component of their food-safety system. For example, establishments can take advantage of the recent efforts of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in presenting a new Ad Council Campaign on Food Safety Education. The materials are available at: http://foodsafety.adcouncil.org/. The Ad Council Campaign materials include a toolkit that provides information on how to share the public service announcements included in the campaign with local public service directors. There are also suggestions regarding how to get the materials included on the local radio station or in the local newspaper. The Ad Council Campaign materials also include downloads for outreach e-mails, banners for your Web site, and even ideas for food-safety programs that can be conducted at local schools.
10
THE NATIONAL PROVISIONER | PROVISIONERONLINE.COM | DECEMBER 2011
Consumer education does not replace the responsibility of producing safe food at the establishment. Further, there are clearly many entities with a primary responsibility for educating consumers. However, data suggests there is more work to do, and in fact the challenge is getting greater in reaching the consumers. Producing food safety is priority one; consumer education can and should be a complementary role for food processors.
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FightforFood Safety
Turning the ‘phage’ to a new chapter in food safety By Shawn K. Stevens
I
n matters of food safety, it is most often what you cannot see that poses the greatest threat to the safety of food. Indeed, invisible pathogenic organisms are the greatest threat to the food industry’s collective well-being. These organisms, though virtually ubiquitous in nature, can be devastating to consumers and businesses alike if even small amounts find their way into our foods.
In light of the risks, the industry devotes enormous resources to ensuring that our food is as safe as it can be. For decades, science and industry have successfully developed new technologies to further mitigate the chances of pathogens contaminating the foods that we eat. In the 1960s, Pillsbury began working with NASA to develop the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (“HACCP”) methodology. HACCP was critically important for NASA to ensure that the meals its astronauts were taking into space would be as safe as possible. HAACP soon became a staple of the American meat industry and, with the recent enactment of the Food Safety Modernization Act, will soon be implemented by nearly all companies in the food industry. One of the most promising emerging food-safety technologies is a post-packaging pasteurization technique known as high-pressure pasteurization (HPP). HPP can be used for a wide variety of perishable foods, and it works by uniformly applying nearly 90,000 pounds-per-squareinch of hydrostatic pressure to prepackaged foods for up to three minutes. The application of high pressure to the product inactivates both spoilage microorganisms and harmful pathogens without affecting the quality of treated food. There are many additional areas in which technology, bioscience and innovation are blending to improve foodsafety capabilities. Bacteriophages (phages) have been
12
THE NATIONAL PROVISIONER | PROVISIONERONLINE.COM | DECEMBER 2011
studied for more than a century. The potential applications of these organisms have, until recently, been poorly understood. They are, in essence, viruses that attack different types of bacteria. Phages may be designed to attack a particular type of foodborne pathogen, rendering the food safe. Whether we’re talking about improved processing equipment, better antimicrobial interventions or more robust pathogen testing, advances in food-safety science and technology have reduced and will continue to reduce the annual number of foodborne Illnesses in the United States. Challenges will continue to emerge, and there will continue to be outbreaks. That is the simple, unfortunate nature of the world we live in. I have absolutely no doubt, however, that the tireless work of so many will overcome whatever challenges we may face, and that the safety of our food supply will continue to improve as we move on through the chapters. Shawn K. Stevens defends and counsels meat companies in foodborne illness matters throughout the United States. Mr. Stevens also assists industry clients with regulatory compliance, recall planning, crisis management and other issues in advance of and following major food-product recalls. Additional information about his practice can be found at www.defendingfoodsafety.com.
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NewProducts Jack Link’s, Cholula Hot Sauce team up on beef jerky variety
Sadler’s introduces ‘Texas Barbeque’ product line
Jack Link’s® Beef Jerky has brought hot news to the meat snacks category with Jack Link’s Cholula Hot Sauce Beef Jerky. The combination of Jack Link’s Beef Jerky with Cholula® Hot Sauce promises to deliver the perfect blend of savory beef, with Áavor and heat, all in a convenient, graband-go package. Jack Link’s new jerky combines tender slices of 100 percent beef, signature seasonings and Cholula’s special blend of peppers for a Áavorful, satisfying, betterfor-you snacking experience. Conveniently packaged in 3.25-ounce resealable packages, Jack Link’s Cholula Hot Sauce Beef Jerky is available in a variety of display options including open stock cases, clip strips and Áoor shippers.
Sadler’s Smokehouse announces its new Texas Barbeque line, featuring Àve authentic, readyto-eat beef, chicken and pork dishes with gluten-free barbecue sauces, available in select grocery stores nationwide. Created deep in the heart of Texas, the new line features Chopped Beef Brisket and Sliced Beef Brisket, both pitsmoked over hickory and other natural hardwoods and served with Sadler’s own Smoky Sweet Barbeque Sauce. Tender Pulled Chicken is slow cooked and complemented with a Spicy Chipotle Barbeque Sauce. Sadler’s Original Bold Barbeque Sauce provides classic Texas taste to Boneless Country Style Pork Ribs and pitsmoked Pulled Pork.
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14
THE NATIONAL PROVISIONER | PROVISIONERONLINE.COM | DECEMBER 2011
Creta Farms offers line of ‘better for you’ sausages Already well-established in European grocers and delicatessens, Creta Farms is introducing a product line that delivers “better-for-you” sausage without the off Áavors associated with some “better-for-you” products. Available in three delicious varieties, including Beef Smoked, Smoked and Cheese Smoked, Creta Farms Sausages are made with only the Ànest ingredients, including selected cuts of pork and beef and cheddar. By removing a portion of the animal fat and replacing it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), Creta Farms Sausages have up to 24 percent fewer calories and up to 53 percent less saturated fat than similar products. www.cretafarms.com
GNP Co. launches all-natural frozen chicken line GNP Co. has announced the launch of a new frozen chicken product line. With the Áavor of fresh chicken and the versatility of frozen, Gold’n Plump® new premium frozen chicken is packaged in a box, giving retail customers an attractive freezer display and added convenience for consumers. The new line offers All Natural™, hand-trimmed Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (4-pack), All Natural™ Chicken Breast Fillets (4- and 8-packs), and Premium 90/10 Ground Chicken chubs (2-pack). Cartons contain individually vacuum-packed servings, so consumers can use just what they need as well as minimize freezer burn. The pouch packaging reduces the need to touch chicken while opening, and gets rid of soaker pads, foam trays and sticky overwrap. www.goldnplump.com
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DECEMBER 2011 | PROVISIONERONLINE.COM | THE NATIONAL PROVISIONER
15
Ingredients&Formulations
BATTLE
LINES DRAWN By Donna Berry
any of us wish it would go away, but salt and sodium continue to be hot buttons among most food industry authorities. This past month, food processors took a sigh of relief upon learning that a new congressional spending bill would modify the requirements for school lunches that the U.S. Department of Agriculture set earlier this year. The bill also requires further study on USDA’s long-term sodium-reduction guidelines for school lunches. Both the House and the Senate are expected to vote on the bill soon. If passed, this means that center-of-plate protein processors can slow down their efforts to (drastically) lower the sodium content of products intended for the National School Lunch Program, as sodium reductions are not going to be as extreme as many feared they would be for the very near future.
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This bill was welcome news to the Salt Institute, Alexandria, Va., a trade association that promotes responsible uses of salt, particularly for roadway safety, nutrition and water quality. For years, the Salt Institute has taken the position that low-sodium diets trigger a negative chain reaction in the body that increases the risk of diabetes, stroke, heart attack and heart disease. This opinion was most recently supported by a meta-
16
analysis published in the American Journal of Hypertension (published online Nov. 9, 2011). And mid-year, Scientific American (July 8, 2011) published an in-depth article entitled “It’s Time to End the War on Salt,” which further confirmed that there’s not enough science to support government regulations forcing reductions in sodium. The article explained there is plenty of science to show that the body can fail when it does
THE NATIONAL PROVISIONER | PROVISIONERONLINE.COM | DECEMBER 2011
DECEMBER 2011 | PROVISIONERONLINE.COM | THE NATIONAL PROVISIONER
17
Ingredients&Formulations For years, the Salt Institute has taken the position that low-sodium diets trigger a negative chain reaction in the body that increases the risk of diabetes, stroke, heart attack and heart disease.
New SuperBind ™ HB-CT Superior Binding For Lower Sodium Meat & Poultry Products
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THE NATIONAL PROVISIONER | PROVISIONERONLINE.COM | DECEMBER 2011
not have enough sodium, an essential mineral that is a component of sodium chloride, the chemical name for salt. Salt Institute president Lori Roman says the problem goes beyond school cafeterias to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines on sodium, which aim to put virtually all Americans, not just schoolchildren, on a diet so low in salt it has never been seen in any country. “We should not subject our schoolchildren or any of our citizens to what amounts to a giant lab experiment,” says Roman. “There are negative health consequences of a low-salt diet. For many children, a school lunch is their main meal of the day. They simply need salt, an essential nutrient recent medical studies associate with longer life, less heart disease and lower cholesterol, among other health benefits.” But again, as I started out, the trend towards lowering sodium contents of foods is not going away, so this should remain a priority in your innovations lab. Here’s something to remember: Reducing sodium in center-of-plate of proteins requires more than replacing the taste of salt, as salt also impacts other flavors, texture and function, as well as influences moisture retention, preservation, shelf life and safety. In order to reduce sodium contents, it is critical to identify the right ingredient combination that delivers taste without any product sacrifice. Seldom is a simple reduction or replacement possible. Other ingredients must almost always be considered. Many animal-based proteins naturally contain 50 to 70 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams. So, in order to manage sodium levels in the final product, it is important to consider sources of added sodium. This includes, of course, salt, but also functional ingredients such as phosphates and lactates, which are necessary additives for ensuring the quality of many proteins. One concept to consider is including more umami-providing ingredients. What is umami? Umami is best described as a pleasant savory taste imparted by the amino acid glutamate, and a number of ribonucleotides, including inosinate and guanylate. These com-
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19
Ingredients&Formulations pounds occur naturally in an array of foods including meat, fish, select vegetables and certain cheeses. Umami is also recognized as a flavor enhancer. Its mode of action is different than sodium, but it can help trick the taste buds to thinking “salty.” To better understand how umami enhances flavor, try this little experiment suggested by Tokyo-based Umami Information Center. Rinse your mouth with water, then chew a cherry tomato 30 times and swallow. The subtle, pleasant taste that lingers in the mouth is umami, as tomatoes are a naturally rich source of glutamate. This lingering taste is often described as “deliciousness” and compensates for a reduction in sodium. One way to add umami to proteins is to formulate with yeast extracts, which not only provide the umami taste sensation, but also enhance the protein’s mouthfeel and body.Yeast extract can enhance the product’s taste, providing for faster, stronger and longer-lasting taste impressions, which allows for a reduction in sodium. Appropriate applications include formed meat products such as burgers and patties, where the yeast extract builds on the protein’s natural fla-
vors, as well as all types of ham. Here the yeast extract strengthens the smoky and salty notes, prolonging the aftertaste. When it comes to reducing sodium in brines and marinades, an option is to substitute some or all of the sodium phosphates with potassium phosphates, as the latter work synergistically with added salt. There are now a number of highly soluble potassium phosphate ingredients in the market that deliver the combined synergies while at the same time reduce the sodium quantity. Because there is a slight bitterness associated with potassium, flavorings and seasonings often must be added to mask such off notes. Another option is to introduce the mineral magnesium along with potassium. Magnesium has been shown to decrease bitterness and at the
same time enhance flavor and provide similar functionalities as sodium. Cured and processed meats, which are those proteins that are often served in schools, typically contain relatively high levels of sodium. Blends of potassium and sodium pyrophosphates allow for a significant reduction in sodium, as compared to using only standard sodium phosphates. These phosphate blends also bind moisture in deli meats, allowing processors to achieve improved yield, texture and sliceability. And because they help prevent lipid oxidation, they can help extend shelf life. It’s important to remember that just as our body needs sodium to function; edible proteins require sodium to be palatable. There are many options for reducing sodium contents in center-ofplate proteins. Finding the right combination of ingredients takes time. Donna Berry has a bachelor’s degree in food science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has been writing on food formulating for more than 15 years.
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