Quiz Four

You are given a task to build the most hi-tech poultry processing plant in the world. You have been asked to prepare a report on 5 new technologies to be included in poultry processing area which are being used in other industries. Describe each technology, write how it can be used in the poultry industry and how it can benefit the industry.

One of the newest trends in food safety has been High Pressure Processing (HPP). HPP is used to inactive microorganisms through the use of pressure instead of heat. By doing this the food product keeps its functionality and can still be processed in other ways. While this process originally started on just liquids, it has more recently been used on ready-to-eat meat products as well as seafood products. HPP can be used in a poultry plant in a variety of ways. One way is obviously for shelf life stability. By inactivating the microorganism the raw ingredients can last longer without spoilage. Another way HPP can be used is for tenderization. In the same mechanism that helps vacuum tumbling be effective, the pressure would help denature and extract the myofibril proteins. HPP can be used as a method after packaging to ensure that the meat does not become re-contaminated.

Active packaging is a relatively new concept that just started being used in food products. Active packaging is when the food and the package work together to extend the quality and shelf life of the product. According to Giovanna Buonocore with Food Safety magazine, "Active systems are usually obtained by embedding into the packaging materials active compounds that absorb substances from the environment surrounding the food or that are released from the packaging into the food." One of the most used examples is imbedding antioxidants into the packaging that are activated by the environment. By implementing this in a poultry processing plant, the time in which the packaged product needs to leave the plant can be increased while still maintaining the quality of the product.

In the FSQA aspect of the plant there is a brand new technology that uses multi-frequency detectors to track specific changes in the plant. In a poultry processing plant this can be implemented to track the changes in temperature either of cooked products or frozen products. Above 40 degrees Fahrenheit poultry is susceptible to microorganism growth. To prevent this a multi-frequency detector can show when the product is getting close to the range and alert someone before the quality and safety is effected.

One of the biggest parts of poultry processing is the freezing of the product. Air blast freezers are traditionally used, but a new freezing technique using plates filled with refrigerant has been shown to decrease freeze time as well as save on energy. By quickly freezing the poultry, the quality is increased. The crystallization is inhibited using this process and the food safety is increased. By freezing quickly the microorganisms have less time to grow.

The last way in which my processing plant would be hi-tech would be through the use of robotics. All of the products would be trimmed using robotics. This would maximize the quality of the product being produced. Other places that robotics could be used would be in hanging the birds. This is one of the places in which most poultry processing plants have issues. Employee safety is pertinent in processing plants and hanging is one of the most strenuous jobs. Robotics would help in this aspect. Packaging and freezing can also be done with robotics.