Frozen meat for manufacturing

Summary

Current procedures for packing and handling cartons of meat that is bulk-packed to CL specifications are labour-intensive. Labour and packaging costs range up to $0.30 per kg. With cost savings and anticipated price premiums, the net benefits when product is frozen and handled according to the proposed process is believed to be up to $0.20 per kg.

Existing systems in Europe for fish and chicken products were considered and the most suitable freezers for the process were determined to be automatic horizontal plate freezers. During the project to plan in detail a through-chain trial to the US, the team worked closely with Keystone Foods. Trials were undertaken to establish trial procedures for meat piece size reduction, freezing and mould filling and emptying.

Slabs of meat 60mm thick could be cooled to -18C within 2 hours. A system for the trial was designed and costed.

Objectives

To improve the financial returns to Australian meat processors by implementing processing, handling and transport procedures for manufacturing beef and mutton that cost less than the current labour-intensive ones and attract price premiums.

Specific project objectives were to:

• identify key participants for a project to export to the US, manufacturing beef (or mutton) that has been prepared, frozen and packaged using a novel system
• design and fully cost a pilot system and plan the in-plant project and with key participants, to develop firm costs for current and proposed procedures.
•  identify requirements of key processor, regulator and customer stakeholders and to quantify meat quality and handling benefits of very rapid freezing
• convince stakeholders that the in-plant study should proceed.

Key findings

• The investigations in this report indicate that an automatic freezing and handling system for manufacturing beef is viable and would benefit the Australian industry.
• A system in which automatic horizontal plate freezers from the core has been describes and indicative costs have been obtained. Comparison of the setup and operating costs for such a system with current costs revealed a likely net benefit to processors of $0.15-0.20 per kg of product exported to the US.
• Chemical tests on patties made from thin blocks of rapidly frozen beef revealed no differences that were attributed to frozen storage of thin slabs.

Benefits to industry

Ingress of plastic bags and liners into the ground beef supply chain is a concern. In addition, the cost of packaging and its disposal is a significant cost. 

So called 'naked block' is a method of freezing beef trim meat destined to ground beef markets, thereby reducing packaging materials. The frozen blocks of meat trim can be palletised in bulk saving costs on packing materials and reducing contamination of product in the supply chain.

MLA action

Project A.TEC.0067 was intended to be the first stage of a planned program to innovate the way beef for manufacturing purposes is frozen, handled, and packaged for distribution, namely the preparation of one-tonne shipping units of frozen blocks rather than the conventional 27.2 kg cartons. Production issues, food safety, and commercial feasibility were evaluated via trial shipments to the USA.

The cost/benefits of 'naked block' freezing were reviewed under project A.TEC.0068.

Despite being in use in Europe and success from the above trials, take up of this approach by Australian processors has not progressed further.

Future research

It is recommended that the through-chain trial be carried out using a system that includes a continuous horizontal plate freezer that is capable of being upsized by the addition of more freezer plates and in which either ammonia or carbon dioxide can be used as the refrigerant.

The project team recommends that once the processing system for the trial is operational and the rapid rate of freezing has been verified, a more detailed investigation of the effects on chemical and functional attributes of the new process be planned to complement the sensory assessments.