O F M O S T CONCERN TO I N D U S T R Y

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1 234. C O M H E R C I A L PROCESSING P R O B L E M S O F M O S T CONCERN TO I N D U S T R Y NE I L WEBB THE E C K E R TP A C K I N GC O M P A N Y D E F I A N C E.O H I O INTEEODUCTION : The xeat industry i s i n g r e a t e r need of s c i e n t i f i c and technical assistance i n a l l areas of processing than ever before. Applied research i s i n extremely high demand, and, i f t h i s trend continues, t h e r e w i l l be a dearth of good basic research information within a very short time. Thus, we must develop basic research information t o meet t h e demands of applied research and technology. I f e e l the University and USDA experiment s t a t i o n s can be of invaluable assistance in supplying basic research information t o t h e meat industry. Most companies of medium t o large s i z e are putting an increased percentage of t h e i r budgets i n t o applied research and technology. Also, many of t h e l a r g e r companies are developing extensive research programs. I would l i k e t o point out t h a t, a t present, many of t h e medium size companies do not have personnel formally t r a i n e d in science. However, many of these companies have personnel who have an extremely good understanding of t h e p r a c t i c a l processing techniques and they are c e r t a i n l y of g r e a t value. However, my thesis and ideas presented a t t h i s conference are f o r a more sophisticated type of technical program than can be conducted by personnel w i t h only p r a c t i c a l t r a i n i n g. I t h i n k there i s s t i l l a large gap remaining between t h e viewpoints of what i s commonly referred t o as p r a c t i c a l p l a n t operating personnel and technically t r a i n e d personnel. I believe t h i s is a viewpoint without sound b a s i s. It i s merely a degree of desired precision in which both individuals are a t t e q t i n g t o a t t a i n t h e same thing. Thus, neither can function e f f e c t i v e l y without some understending and assistance from the other. The conpatability of diverse types of individuals i s a major problem which must be comprehended by top management in order t o solve many of t h e major processing problems. W e lrust i n t e g r a t e personnel throughout t h e industry who have good technic a1 t r a i n ing and a good knowledge of management principles. If technical personnel are integrated with personnel having many years of p r a c t i c a l experience, a strong tecbnical and management team should r e s u l t. The long range progress of any manufacturing f i r m i s highly dependent upon sound basic research. Sound basic p r i n c i p l e s must be established in order t o have a well run manufacturing operation. I have listed nine basic problem areas which I consider t o be of present and immediate importance t o meat processing companies. I wish t o state t h a t these basic problem areas are not mentioned because they have any d i r e c t relationship t o t h e s p e c i f i c problems of t h e Eckert Packing Company. Rather, these are broad areas t h a t I believe are of lcost v i t a l concern t o t h e manufacturing

2 235. process from the standpoint of controlling manufacturing operations in a precise and scientific manner. The importance of these problem areas will vary with the location and stage of development of a particular company. THE CONTROL OF RAW WERIALS: The development of new methods of evaluation and mre rapid procedures in obtabing objective data on raw materials is needed for meat processing operations. For example, we need rapid methods of analysis for the quality of raw materials such as: spices, nonfat dry milk, meat triromings, et cetera. By the time analyses can be completed on many raw materials, the data is of limited value. Thus, a great deal of subjective evaluation is presently used in ascertaining the quality of raw materials used in meat processing. With due respect to subjective analyses of materials, this type of evaluation reduces our ability to ascertain the true quality of the raw material and consequently the quality of the finished product. The pre-blending of various emulsion components for sausage operations has a very promising future if further basic work is done on instrumentation and materials handling engineering. In fact, this is one of the most promising areas of applied technology in sausage manufacture. However, it would be very unwise to adapt a system costing approximately 50,000 dollars unless a great deal more basic and applied research is done. I think we learned such a lesson with the advent of computers. The area of pre-blended emulsion mixtures has some application with computer systems if more is learned about binding capacity and behaviour of various meats under manufacturing conditions. When mre basic principles are elucidated, further application of elaborate engineering systems can be made. As another example, in many cases with the present methods of analyses, it would be very difficult to determine the bacterial content of raw materials in time to modify or eliminate contaminated materials prior to processing. WERIALS HANDLING SYSTEMS: We need to obtain a closer coordination between equipment manufacturers and food science research and technology groups. Proper coordination of equipment units used within each operating department is extremely important in relation to efficiency, product quality, and long range plans. The trend has too often been to purchase equipment from a manufacturer and the company spend considerable time and effort in mdifying the equipment to suit individual operations. It is very important that -her research be conducted on basic principles of materials handling. This would give a more comn basis for the development of specific items of equipment which would blend in with the entire processing system in relation to plant design, product quality and flow rate. In materials handling systems further study is needed on the principles of checking uniformity and flow rates as incorporated with automatic equipment and man power. Fromthe viewpoint of one involved in food science work, it seems imperative that certain basic criteria for the control of product quality must be stated prior to the development of sophisticated materials handling systems. For example, the development of a system of cooking wieners by electronic units or electron transfer systems is of very little value if it is impossible to formulate an acceptable wiener for the consumer. Also, the use of analytical instmentation in connection with flow rate of materids processed through automatic equipment systems must be considered in future design of materials handling equipment. These examples require basic quality and mechanical concepts set forth prior to development of systems.

3 236. CONTROL OF FLAVOR COMPONEWS: Since there has been a l a r g e amount of basic research done on the components of flavors and aromas, I w i l l not dwell on t h i s subject at length. However, it i s extremely important that more basic research be conducted on methods of approach f o r t h e control o r development of f l a v o r s and aromas. We need more elaborate systems t o obtain accurate analyses of f l a v o r l e v e l s. I am speaking o f f l a v o r components t o be added t o processed meats t o either impart an additional f l a v o r response o r t o cover 811 undesirable f l a v o r component i n t h e basic meat material. There are some very desirable f a c t o r i a l arrangements f o r approaching t h i s area of technology, but mre systems need t o be applied t o t h e f l a v o r research area. Also, we need t o establish more thresholds f o r many f l a v o r ingredients and components. As an example, the type of work which h8s been conducted on salt and sugar levels i n meats at Michigan State University i s extremely b e n e f i c i a l. Other areas of tremendous importance are t h e "cooked" o r "left over" f l a v o r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of meats and t h e f a i l u r e of basic flavoring components t o r e t a i n desirable flavors over a sustained period of t i m e. Processed meats do not r e t a i n t h e i r i n i t i a l warm cooked f l a v o r during shelfl i f e storage. Since a large portion of t h e meat sales d o l l a r i s i n precooked meats and meat products, we need t o r e t a i n t h e i n i t i a l flavors developed at t h e time of cooking t o fully satisfy our customers. e have a long w a y t o go i n t h e INWSPRIAL COOKERY METHODS: W development of b e t t e r methods of large scale meat cookery and heat processing. Present methods allow too much loss i n t h e t r a n s f e r of heat energy t o products and t h e v a r i a t i o n i n i n t e r n a l temperature at t h e end of the cooking cycle i s too great. N a t u r a l l y, these problems can r e s u l t i n high b a c t e r i a l numbers, color differences, and poor scheduling of production. All of these d i f f i c u l t i e s add up t o a v a r i a t i o n i n quality of t h e f i n d product as w e l l as i n e f f e c t i v e supervision i n plant processing. There are many p r i n c i p l e s which need t o be nore thoroughly elucidated t o e s t a b l i s h b e t t e r methods of heat t r a n s f e r f o r product cookery. For example, t h e p r i n c i p l e s of heat energy t r a n s f e r as applied t o changes i n p r o t e i n s t r u c t u r e are of basic importance t o industry. One might ask, how does heat affect t h e protein s t r u c t u r e and f i n a l product quality at various r e l a t i v e humidities, pressures, temperatures, r a t e s of application, rates of aj.r flow, and i n vacuum systems? Another area of major concern i s t h e method i n which the product i s prepared f o r cookery. One inovation i s cookery of luncheon meats by t h e use of metal forming molds. These molds are prelined with polyethylene bags, stuffed with emulsion, sealed, and t h e product cooked i n water o r steam, chilled, remved and s l i c e d. This method i s effective, but i s expensive, cumbersome, and, as you can perceive, involves many steps i n t h e t r a n s f e r of equipment and the u t i l i z a t i o n of man power. The c a p i t a l invested by a company i n such equipment can be f a n t a s t i c. I n some cases, an automatic washer unit may be used t o clean t h e molds which w i l l cost as much as 10,000 d o l l a r s and 8,000 d o l l a r s additional per year t o operate t h e washer. Certainly t h e r e are F o s s i b i l i t i e s of improvement i n t h i s area. PKIDUCT IlYVEFiTORY CONTROL: The control of meat product inventories i s a serious problem with a l l processors. I n many cases, production shcedules must be written as much as four t o five days ahead of anticipated sales. Thus, t h e regulation of inventory of perlshable products i s very d i f f i c u l t and may r e s u l t i n distressed product o r i n a shortage t o customers. A reduction i n processing t i m e would be of significant value i n meeting rapid inventory turnover. Admittingly increased shelf-life and packaging

4 237. techniques have assisted greatly in controlling the inventories. However, the retention of maximum flavor, aroma, juiciness, and color demands that the product be held a minimum of time at the processor level. Therefore, methods which can reduce the time of holding of product after the processing operation is initiated will be of tremendous value. For example, inventory control would be improved if bologna could be cooked, chilled, firmed, sliced and packaged for shipment in eight hours. BEEF PROCESSING SYSTEMS: I think the beef operation is the most unorthodox mmuf'acturing system of all the areas of the meat industry. The beef operation is very difficult to document into a workable system. The operation of a successful beef department requires extensive on-the-job training of individuals even though the personnel may have spent atremendous amount of time training at the college level. Each company has a specific philosophy and group of customers. The meat industry needs more specific information on yields, shrink, and methods of testing to allow for the many vaxiations in types of cattle and the particular demands of customers. Thus, close specifications of beef cuts and carcasses are required. This calls for Eore refinement within the USDA Grades. We need basic principles developed on a mre sophisticated level for merchmdising beef. For example, if basic principles were developed, the use of computer systems could be of primary importance in the selection and evaluation of available beef cuts on inventory for specific customers. THE RELATION OF THE MEAT INDUSTRY TO THE MEAT INSPECTION DIVISION, USDA: There does not appear to be enough effort being made on the development of better methods of analysis and control in relation to meat processing regulations. Naturally, such research should not be conducted at the processing plant level. I would suggest that there be a continuous research program functioning to obtain better methods of analysis. These methods 170Uld assist the goverment inspectors in assuring better control and more objective evaluation of quality for the consumer. This, of course, would be of mutual benefit to the processor in assisting in the development of consistency and uniformity. As a st& in such a program, I would suggest that the MID employ a meat scientist as a research liason person to work throughout industry in the development and review of problems which are most pertinent in laboratory methods. A system to allocate research funds should be developed. DEVELOPMENT OF IN-PW ME;THODS OF ANALYSES AND CONTROL: We need more extensive methods of in-plant objective analyses for the control of production. For exemple, rapid and quantitative tests for nitrite content, color, product rmisture, bacterial content, the free fatty acid content, degree of doneness in certain process end-point measurement, et cetera, would be of great value in controlling production. The test methods and analytical. systems utilized by many industries indicecte that we have a long way to go in precisely controlling meat processing operations. We have been too content to accept wide variations and fail to take the time to precisely control these vaxiations and, in turn, charge the price required to accomplish this precision. btilization OF SCIENTIFICALLY TRAlCNED PERSONNEL IN IWWFACTUFUNG OPEWIONS: There is no area that is of Eore concern to industry todw than the proper integration of well trained personnel in the manufacturing operation. In fact, most of our major problems concern the ingenuity and

5 238. i n i t i a t i v e of management personnel. We s t i l l have a long way t o go i n properly u t i l i z i n g w e l l trained s c i e n t i f i c people i n manufacturing operations. I n many cases, the s c i e n t i f i c a l l y t r d n e d person desires t o work e n t i r e l y i n t h e research laboratory. There i s d e f i n i t e l y a need f o r the s c i e n t i f i c a l l y t r d n e d person t o be actively involved i n meat manufacturing operations. However, it i s very important t h & t h i s technical person be f o r t i f i e d with sufficient management principles t o give t h e personnel with whom he i s working good leadership. The college trained meat science students who are interested i n manufacturing operations need a tough combinat i o n of science, logic, psychology, humanities, economics, and communicat i o n s. Unless t h e meat science student has t r a i n i n g i.n these latter areas, he w i l l be limited i n h i s use t o industry. Therefore, personnel who are t o be u t i l i z e d i n t h e companies of t h e f u t u r e w i l l need t o have a sufficient s c i e n t i f i c knowledge t o u t i l i z e the methods and techniques that basic research w i l l elucidate,but, i n addition, he must be able t o manage operat i o n s and allocate personnel. IN CONCLUSION: It i s imperative that the industry work very closely with basic research groups i n developing methods and techniques which w i l l more precisely control the manufacturing and processing operat i o n s. The intergration of quality control, engineering, production analysis, operations research, analytical instrumentation with man power and manufacturing equipment w i l l be mandatory i n meat processing operations d u r i q the next decade. Meat science students must be t r d n e d i n communications and management as w e l l as science i n order t o e f f i c i e n t l y serve the meat industry. DR. WELLINGTON: Thank you very much, N e i l, and I h e s i t a t e t o withhold questions at t h i s t i m e, but I t h i n k we can discuss questions at t h e close of our program. Our next topic has t o do with t h e work at Cornell on Sausage Emulsion S t a b i l i t y Under P i l o t Plant Tests. As a word of introduction we t h i n k i t ' s a b i g step f r o m t h e textbook theories on t h e behavior of crude emulsions t o what actually happens, f o r instance, i n processing a frankf'u&er o r a bologna type product. Last year you will rec a l l that C l i f f Swifi end h i s group reported on t h e i r work which i s published, together wlth other reports similar t o t h i s by the same group, i n t h e Journal. of Food Technology. Those reports cover some very interesting studies t h a t have t o do with emulsions, t h e i r formation and w i t h breaking these emulsions i n laboratory experitrents. ###########if