Wednesday, February 13, 2013

What Takes Place In A Meat Processing Plant California

Tags

By Paula Barron


Slaughter houses were first established in Europe in the early 20th century. With the high demand for meat and its products, meat processing industries have since been established in various parts of the world. These industries are mainly focusing on production of products for human consumption and are also referred to as the packaging plants. For the services of a meat processing plant California is one of the best places to visit. However, there is need to first understand what it all involves.

The processing industry is wide and including; slaughter plants, cold storage plants and exclusive processing plants. Therefore not all plants have an abattoir. Usually, every plant specializes with one type of animal then the meats packed differently. Facilities that do processing alone pack and store the animal protein whereas the cold storage ones store that which is from other plants in freezers.

Through processing, products from fish, pork, poultry and other domestic as well as wild animals such as buffaloes are packaged. Muscle meat, additives and fat from selected parts of the carcass are the main raw materials for most products. Additives are essential in the preservation if color and freshness of the products. They may also be used to increase the quantities.

The products produced are numerous and diversified. The composition of each is attributed to the technologies applied in their preparation as well as the raw materials used. Examples of processed products include bacon, brawn, ham, kebab, pastrami among others. They are all tasty and nourishing and in most cases taken as fast foods.

At the plants, first the processors need to select the best parts before cutting them into pieces and grading them. The desired product is usually considered when determining the appropriateness and suitability of the raw materials to be used in making it. The grading is mostly done visually by experienced people. They do so basing their choice on the characteristics of the selected parts because some have more muscle meat than fat or the other way round. Also the fats could be firm or soft depending on the part where it has been cut from. The grade of the raw materials eventually has an impact on the value of the by-product.

There are various basic technologies used in the various procedures of mixing and cutting. Curing, cooking, canning, smoking, seasoning, and packing into containers or vacuum packaging are some of the procedures applied for preservation. In other situations, the use of steam and organic acids is essential so as to prohibit the growth of bacteria in the preserved products. All these aim at making sure that the products can stay for a long period before being used. They may as well be fermented, canned or frozen before being distributed to stores.

The products can be grouped into the fresh and precooked products based on the technique applied in their making. They also have different taste, appearance and form of preparation. Fresh processed products such as sausages require cooking before consumption whereas others can be taken raw or cooked.

There are other by-products such as bones, hooves and feathers that are used in making bone meal. They can also be used for other commercial purposes and therefore nothing goes to waste. To locate a meat processing plant California residents can use directories or the internet.




About the Author:




EmoticonEmoticon