Insight Meat Processing

VOLUME 4
FOCUS ON
Trim Handling >3-5
Bone Detection
and Fat Analysis at OSI >8
SLANEY FOODS
Thinking Ahead >10
Innova Quality Control >12
CONTENTS
2
3
Innovation Through Partnership
Make the Most of Trim by
Efficient Handling
5
6
Mixing & Grinding
8
Bone Detection and Fat Analysis
at OSI
9
10
12
13
Kepak Introduces Beef Trim
Management
Waterproof Box Labeler
Slaney Foods – Thinking Ahead
with StreamLine
Innova Quality Control
ProFIVE – Unrivalled Meat
Quality
14
Lynca Meats – Bringing Home
Consistent Top Quality Bacon
15
16
Pig Head Deboning
2
Progress Point Demo Center
“Innovation through partnership” sums up
the philosophy of Marel and the way we have
worked with the red meat industry for many
years. By working closely together we create
the best solutions for red meat processing,
primary or case ready.
When we drew up the plans for a new
deboning and trimming hall for Slaney Foods
in Ireland, for example, we spent many hours
together discussing and analyzing their needs
and the processing possibilities. This was done to ensure we would
deliver a state-of-the-art solution that both the customer and Marel
are proud of and happy with.
The special focus on trim handling in this issue of Insight Meat
Processing reflects our leadership in developing trim handling
solutions that enable processors to meet consumer demands in
relation to food safety, food quality, and fat content.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Insight Meat Processing.
David Wilson
Managing Director
Industry Center Meat
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Make the Most of Trim
by Efficient Handling
For years Marel has been investing in the development of X-ray technology
for measuring the quality properties of meat. This development includes
implementation of dual energy technology, detection algorithms, and X-ray
sensor optimization into the equipment. As a result, we now have many new
ways to help meat processors measure and control their meat quality.
Having primary functions like bone
detection, metal detection, X-ray
weighing, fat/lean measurement,
and batching is only enough when
part of a complete system that
meets the needs of meat
processing. This requires both a
good understanding of the meat
industry and close cooperation with
processors during development.
Two breakthrough systems for trim
handling (patents pending) have
now been released: The Trim
Management System (TMS) and the
Trim Inspection System (TIS).
The TMS was designed for deboning
facilities that need to ensure that
the outgoing trim is of the correct
fat/lean ratio at fixed weight, as well
as bone free. The TIS was designed
for further processing facilities that
need to verify the quality of their
incoming material.
The Principle of the Trim
Management System
The TMS consists of three main
elements: an infeed station, a
SensorX X-ray machine, and a grader.
The infeed station creates segregated
prebatches of manually presorted
trim, which allows the rest of the
system to handle the trim effectively.
The SensorX machine measures the
Chemical Lean point of the trim (CL)*
and checks for contaminants. The
prebatch is then sent to the grader
and is subsequently diverted to the
optimal gate.
*Chemical Lean (CL) is the meat lean point,
measured either by the Soxhlet laboratory
method or by technology like X-ray.
GRADER
TRIM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
SENSORX
INFEED STATION
Flow of unsorted trim
Presorted prebatches of trim
Prebatches with known
CL and weight
Batches with predefined
CL-levels and weight
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Trim Inspection System
KNIFE REJECT
Bonefree inspected
trim of known CL
INFEED PUMP
Contaminants
The primary functions of the system
are to measure the CL and batch to
a fixed weight, while simultaneously
finding bone fragments and other
contaminants. These primary
functions enable process control
where meat is combined to make
fixed weight batches. This is of great
value to the processor since it
minimizes the lean giveaway and
risk of claims, and increases the
overall quality of the product.
The system also enables processors
to offer a more flexible product
portfolio, so that they can maximize
the value of their product in the
ever changing trim marketplace.
The TMS enables the processor to:
1. Minimize lean giveaway
2. Reduce contaminant claims
3. Reduce fat claims
4. Optimize the value of trim – by selecting the
best mix of CL points, which cumulatively
lead to higher margins overall
5. Increase reputation as a quality supplier
6. Reduce labor costs
4
SENSORX
Formed flow of trim
100kg
72CL
110kg
70CL
Combos
delivering product above 72CL
would be lean giveaway, so the
portion of meat that is leaner can be
upgraded to a higher CL category.
This means that fat can be used as
effectively as possible.
Illustration 1
Illustration 1 shows how more fat
can be introduced to increase the
overall amount of 70CL trim. In any
case, the total value of the product
will always be higher through
reduced lean giveaway.
Last but not least, being able to
deliver consistent top-quality
product is important for processors
and strengthens their position in
the market, as well as opens doors
to new markets.
If a batch of trim product has some
CL lean giveaway, it is possible to
calculate how much the product
can be upgraded. See illustration 2.
It can be seen, for example, that if a
60CL product is in fact 62CL, 10kg of
fat can be added to bring the 62CL
down to 60CL.
Minimizing Lean Giveaway
A processor selling products
fulfilling CL-specifications does not
want to deliver too lean a product.
The permitted variation is usually in
the range of +/- 2 to 4 CL points. For
example, a processor aiming to
deliver 70CL might need to be with
the 68-72CL range. In this case,
Trim Inspection System
The TIS consists of three main
elements: an infeed system, which
ensures a constant flow of material
through the system; a SensorX for
measuring CL and finding bone
contaminants; and a knife reject for
effectively removing a contaminant
from the product stream.
FAT
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Amount of upgradeable fat for 100kg
meat depending on lean giveaway
kg fat
Lean giveaway [CL point]
Illustration 2
The system also incorporates Innova
software, which collects all
information about the processed
meat. With Innova, the processor
can generate reports showing a
summary of supplier performance.
The TIS system enables the
processor to quickly and effectively
evaluate the quality of the incoming
meat. The process is as follows: An
incoming combo is unloaded by a
dumper and the trim is fed to the
infeed system, which produces a
continuous stream of products that
is scanned by the SensorX X-ray
unit. If a contaminant is found, the
knife cuts out a small section from
the product stream. The rejected
material accumulates on a buffer
conveyor for manual inspection and
is rescanned at a later stage.
The TIS makes it possible to
maximize throughput at the highest
possible bone detection rate. When
the total CL of the combo is known,
the processor can manually adjust
the recipe to achieve a precise final
CL.
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The TIS enables the processor to:
1. Evaluate the CL and bone content of
incoming meat
2. Effectively remove contaminants
3. Use the CL information to adjust raw
material blending to obtain correct CL
Reduction of Contaminant Claims
Bones are a common source of
complaints in the meat industry,
and the demand for bone-free meat
propagates from the end-user to
the trim producer. This makes the
TMS and TIS systems highly valuable
tools for minimizing bone
complaints, as well as finding other
dense contaminants, especially in
bone-sensitive market segments
such as international fast-food
chains, sausage and meatball
producers, and high-end
supermarkets.
Mixing and Grinding
– Optimum Meat Preparation
In 2013 we added a large variety of mixer and grinder lines to our product portfolio, designed for the optimum preparation
of: burgers, minced meat, salami and pepperoni, meat balls, and sausages.
The addition of these previously Carnitech mixing and grinding products strengthens our potential in the meat and further
processing markets. Carnitech was a strong supplier of this type of equipment and the mixers and grinders can work as
stand-alone equipment or be integrated with Marel’s inspection lines – such as Trim Inspection System and Trim
Management System – or further processing lines.
Minimum Maintenance
The mixers are supplied either as single or double-shaft
and can endure heavy loads, with tank capacities ranging
from 500 to 7,000 liters. The mixers demand an absolute
minimum of maintenance and feature an extremely
hygienic design.
Flexible Utilization
The flexible meat grinders are manufactured to handle
very high capacities. The robust construction ensures
efficient, profitable production, and hygiene and food
safety are key elements in the design. The grinders can be
used for fresh meat in all shapes and sizes, as well as frozen
blocks of meat regardless of temperature. There are also
combi-models which handle both fresh and frozen meat.
5
Kepak Introduces
Beef Trim Management
30-40% of the beef carcass goes
to value-added products at Irish
meat processor, Kepak Group
– a percentage that compares
well with other European beef
processing plants. To handle
the trim for further processing
effectively, Kepak teamed up
with Marel to design a stateof-the-art Trim Management
System specifically tailored to
their needs.
In 2011 Kepak saw new
opportunities in the red meat retail
market and resolved to restructure
their production accordingly. With
a new value-added production,
Kepak needed to rebuild and
refurbish one of their facilities
(in Ballymahon, Ireland). Kepak
concentrated especially on the
trimming part of the production,
Site Manager, John Walsh (left) and
Production Supervisor at Kepak Ballymahon,
Richard Smyth, use the live reporting from
the Trim Management System for managing
and controlling production.
6
aiming to produce and manage
trim for specific mince and burger
recipes as effectively as possible.
The Importance of Effective Trim
Handling
When handling trim for specific
recipes, it is important to be able
to reach a specific target fat/lean
percentage consistently and at
specified quantities. “Accurate
manual sorting of large amounts
of trim, based on the human
eye to decide on the accurate
fat percentage, is extremely
difficult and requires very skilled
employees,” explains John
Walsh, Site Manager at Kepak in
Ballymahon. “So automation was an
obvious choice for us.”
Impressive System Set-Up at
Kepak
“When we started the project
with Marel, we were impressed
with their approach to finding the
right solution for us,” says Walsh.
“They challenged our processing
methods as well as themselves
on creating the best and most
effective solution for us, rather than
going for the easiest.” The Trim
Management System that Marel
and Kepak developed automates
the analysis of trim for the fat/lean
ratio, and better enables Kepak to
manage their trim and hit target fat
percentages.
The set-up involves directing trim
from two deboning lines to one
of two infeed units of the Trim
Management System – one for
hind-quarter trim and one for forequarter trim. At the infeed units, two
sorting operators visually pre-grade
the trim by pushing the pieces – up
to 5.5 kg - into one of the buffer bins
(e.g. fat, medium, lean). The meat
is then dropped onto a conveyor
leading to the SensorX fat analysis
and bone detection unit.
By scanning the meat for density
variations, using X-ray technology,
the SensorX can determine the
precise weight and fat/lean content
(Chemical Lean, CL), and detect any
hazardous contaminants embedded
in the meat.
The results of each CL measurement
are sent to the subsequent
Trimgrader and the meat is directed
to the allocated gate to form a
final batch of the correct weight
and fat/lean ratio, specified by the
processor.
Product with hazardous
contaminant is removed from the
process through reject gates on the
Trimgrader for the contaminants
to be removed manually before
passing through the system a
second time.
Target Weight and Target CL
Many of Kepak’s European customers
base their production on recipes –
e.g. a recipe based on a fixed number
of boxes of trim, which makes fixed
weight very important. So for Kepak,
the ability to build final fixed weight
batches with fixed (CL) is key.
The system was developed to
fit the requirements of a range
of customers in many countries
and with varying specifications.
Furthermore, the type-segregated
infeed units (hind and forequarter)
help enable Kepak to trace the
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Trim is sorted into pre-batches prior to CL analysis.
trim back to one of its supplying
abattoirs.
Customer Satisfaction by Show
and Tell
The Trim Management System
at Kepak is a great success with
customers. “Since implementing
the Trim Management System we
have had virtually no fat complaints
from our customers,” Walsh says.
“At first they were a bit skeptical
about the bone findings and fat/
lean measures that we presented to
them, but showing them the system
and explaining the technology has
changed that. All customers have
now accepted it is trustworthy.”
The Trim Management System
is running with Innova software,
meaning that all information is live.
Having real-time information is vital,
especially on bone rejects and final
batch target weight information.
“Our reports show that rejects are
well under 3%,” says Walsh, “and the
average from the daily reports show
that fat/lean deviation is within 1%
of the CL level. That is extremely
valuable to us.”
The information from the system
is also used for planning and
evaluation purposes, helping in the
overall control and management of
the company’s operations.
Service Agreement Brings Peace
of Mind
The system has delivered beyond
expectations in terms of quality,
safety, and accuracy, but service is
still a huge part of the partnership
with Marel. “We have entered into
a service agreement contract with
Marel to keep the system in good
working condition,” Walsh explains.
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Making final fixed weight batches on the Trimgrader.
“It is vital for us that the system is
always running, as it is an integrated
part of the overall production facility.
Also considering that the technology
in the Trim Management System
is brand new, a service agreement
gives us the peace of mind needed
to be able to concentrate on meat
processing.”
Kepak in Brief
The Kepak Group comprises three strategic
business units: Kepak Meat Division (KMD),
Kepak Convenience Foods (KCF) and
AgraKepak International. Kepak’s business
is driven by listening to its customers and
working with its suppliers to deliver on
agreed specifications. The company offers
a broad range of fresh and frozen beef
products to customers in the retail, food
service and manufacturing sectors.
Kepak Group processes in excess of 250,000
cattle, 600,000 sheep and 300,000 pigs
annually. Kepak Group has a number of
manufacturing facilities throughout Ireland
and the UK, with sales offices in the key
European and international markets. The
facility featured in this article is located in
Longford/Ballymahon, Ireland.
GO TO:
www.kepak.com
Packing to customer specifications.
7
Bone Detection and
Fat Analysis at OSI
OSI and Marel partner up to create a complete solution
for raw material screening.
Food safety is a major global
consumer concern. Food processor
OSI Group, LLC provides valueadded protein products to many
leading food service and retail
brands, and takes this concern very
seriously. Two of their food safety
concerns are the presence of bone
in finished products, and consistent
product quality.
Trim Inspection System
With no solution available in the
market that could ensure bone-free
finished product as well as analysis
of the fat/lean ratio, OSI and Marel
decided to work together to
develop this type of system. The
end result of this partnership was
the Trim Inspection System that was
installed at an OSI facility in 2012.
The Trim Inspection System (TIS)
system uses X-ray technology to
detect bones and other hard
contaminants as well as determine
the actual lean/fat ratio (CL) of beef
and pork trimmings. Bones and
other foreign objects are removed
from the product stream with an
advanced reject mechanism in the
system.
Prior to 2012, larger bones would
pass through into the grinders
which, in turn, produced many bone
fragments. OSI relied on the bone
elimination system of its grinders,
which was only partially effective in
eliminating all the pieces of bone
that were created. This meant that
the system was unfortunately
perpetuating the problem it was
intended to eliminate.
Reporting Results Increases
Quality
OSI now uses the TIS system at the
front end of the production process
to detect and remove bones before
they enter the grinders and become
smaller and less easily detectable
bone fragments.
Thanks to the TIS system’s high level
of precision, OSI can use specialized
software to trace specific lots of raw
material back to the originating
“With the Trim Inspection System we have taken
the bone complaints in one of our facilities down
to absolutely zero in the last year and a half.
This is a great accomplishment for us and for our
customers.”
Larry Glaser
Director Operations Support for OSI
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suppliers. OSI uses the reports they
get from the TIS to monitor both the
CL and number of foreign objects
found. This has made OSI’s suppliers
more accountable on both CL and
bone content, so the quality of the
raw material that OSI receives has
improved dramatically since they
started using the TIS system.
“At first, our suppliers could not
accept that we were finding that
much bone in the raw materials
they provided,” says Larry Glaser,
Director Operations Support for OSI.
“However, we brought them into
Bryan Dedrickson, Plant Manager
for OSI in West Jordan, USA.
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the plant and let them observe the
system in operation. That quickly
turned doubters into believers!”
OSI has realized similar advantages
regarding CL. “With the scanning and
reporting capabilities of the TIS
system, we can now analyze every
ounce of a 2000-pound combo to
determine the fat/lean point,”
explains Bryan Dedrickson, Plant
Manager for OSI in West Jordan,
Utah. “There are no more so-called
‘representative’ samples. We know
from the outset whether or not a
given shipment of beef measures up
to the standards that we specified. If
we specify 90 percent lean beef, plus
or minus 2 percent, and the
incoming raw material is only 85
percent lean, we can file a fat claim
with the supplier.”
Consistency Means Happy
Customers
OSI recipes often blend several
different kinds of meat in order to
create the product characteristics
that clients expect. With precise lean
points provided by the TIS, the
operators know exactly what they
are introducing
into the mix,
which enables
them to
produce higher
quality products
more
consistently
than they could without the TIS.
The accuracy of the system also
reduces the downtime required to
make corrections to the recipe. “We
can produce the same recipes with
greater precision,” Larry Glaser
explains. “Now, the product is right
each and every time.”
New Opportunities
Larry Glaser sees new product
opportunities with the TIS system.
“The beauty of being able to
eliminate bones in the product
before it goes to the grinder, is that it
offers us the opportunity to grind the
meat slightly more coarsely. This in
turn improves the texture or the bite
of the products we manufacture. It
really has opened up more
opportunities for our business,” he
says.
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“Our suppliers have always had the
ability to do what we need them to
do. TIS gives them the incentive to
do it.”
Larry Glaser
Director Operations Support for OSI
OSI at a Glance
OSI is a privately owned global food processing
company providing value-added protein products
to many leading food service and retail brands
around the world.
The OSI Group was founded in 1909, by German
immigrant Otto Kolschowsky, who sold meats from
a wagon in downtown Chicago. In 1917, the
business expanded into the wholesale meat trade.
In 1955, the company began to supply hamburgers
to a fledgling retail restaurant company whose
primary business was sandwiches. OSI Group now
has more than 50 manufacturing facilities in 17
countries worldwide.
GO TO:
www.osigroup.com
Waterproof Box Labeler
The waterproof OCM9500 box/
crate labeler is suitable for
automatic weighing and labeling
applications in both wet and dry
production environments. The unit
handles crates and boxes up to
40kg in weight, providing
consistent weighing accuracy with
automatic zero tracking.
Marel’s proven OCM9500 box and
crate labeler has been upgraded
with a waterproof chassis and
indicator to withstand full
washdown to IP69K, subject to the
printer being covered or removed.
Speed is subject to box size and
label print requirement, i.e. 600mm
x 400mm eurocrates can be
automatically weighed and labeled
at speeds up to 35 units per minute.
Labels can be applied to the front
and side of the box by a
combination of up to 8 label
applicators, including barcodes,
best before dates, and product as
well as warehouse tracking
information. Long print head life
contributes greatly to the labeler’s
low running costs.
OCM9500 is fully approved
throughout Europe and selected
territories for use in weigh price
labeling and
checkweighing
applications.
Innova Integration
is available to assist
control of the
packing and
dispatch process.
9
A New Deboning and Trimming System at
Slaney Foods International
Irish meat processor
Slaney Foods International
consistently reinvests in
its facilities and processes
to optimise production
capabilities and to
reaffirm its commitment to
innovation and operational
excellence.
Designing a New Boning Hall
At Slaney Foods, they know just
how important efficient production
and inventory control systems are to
their business. In 2010, Slaney
Foods invested in the installation of
a complete StreamLine system in
their beef boning and trimming hall.
Today, their use of technology
systems makes their boning hall
one of the most modern and
innovative facilities in Ireland.
“Our previous system offered no
centralized management control,
had poor traceability features, and
often led to problems,” Factory
Manager Leslie Warren explains.
“We worked with Marel to design a
leading edge boning hall processing
system. With this system it is easier
for us to monitor our key
performance indicators (KPIs) such
as yield, throughput, quality,
capacity, and labor efficiency, in real
production time, as well as ensure
conformity to quality and food
safety standards.”
•
The system is ergonomically
designed, with cuts automatically delivered straight to
and from the operator.
•
The system is an effective
management tool with
individual operators monitored
on yield and throughput.
“To be able to supply our customers
with safe, high quality product, we
needed to have a system which
keeps track of stock and product
movement throughout the whole
processing chain. With food safety a
greater concern than ever before, an
effective traceability system is
critical for us,” adds Leslie Warren.
“With the StreamLine system, we
have had major gains by not
over-trimming the primal cuts. This
increases the value of the meat
cuts,” Leslie Warren explains.
Automation that Delivers Results
On entering the deboning hall at
Slaney Foods, one can immediately
see the efficiency and effectiveness
with which this system runs. The
StreamLine deboning and trimming
“The StreamLine system is very
flexible,” adds Hall Production
Manager, John Harris. “One benefit
is that we can easily change over
from one lot to another in
production and still keep traceability.
The StreamLine System
The StreamLine deboning and trimming system – such as the one at Slaney
Foods – is an intelligent and flexible system for monitoring, analyzing, and
maximizing the deboning hall production. With the system, all data relating
to the entire cutting and deboning process can be collected and analyzed
with Innova software, giving a full overview of yield figures, throughput, and
quality, even at the individual operator level. This makes it easy to monitor
the meat and see where the process is working efficiently or inefficiently – in
other words, what is adding to or detracting from your operation’s profits.
The system is tailored to individual production needs, and experience has
shown that the payback time can be as little as 12 months. Capacities for
deboning facilities start at around 10 head of beef and 20 head of pork per
hour – and for PAD production the capacity would start at around 500 kg per
hour. Functions such as skinning, sawing, meat harvesting, trim management, and fat analysis can be integrated into the StreamLine system set-up
– and the line flow can cover additional functions such as labeling, packing,
and freezing. This makes the StreamLine system a full deboning hall solution
from carcass intake to product dispatch.
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system has been in place for the
past four years and has helped the
company to increase throughput by
10 to 15%. Leslie Warren cites two
main reasons for this increase:
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Innova for StreamLine
Innova Software Solutions are an essential part of the
StreamLine deboning and trimming hall system.
Innova offers total factory control from receipt of live
animals through slaughter, processing, packaging,
and dispatch.
Traceability on Every Primal
To enable identification by carcass and lot, labels are
added to each primal leaving a processing area –
such as deboning, trimming, and packing.
Real-Time Instructions
Each operator receives instructions on a compact
terminal mounted in front of them at the deboning
and trimming stations. Innova automatically selects
cutting tasks to be executed based on real-time
information about production-dependent
parameters such as carcass quality and specifications,
active production orders, and order priority. This
ensures optimal cuts and utilization every time.
Monitoring Yield, Throughput, and Performance
Standard yield and throughput results are stored in
the system for all tasks. Operators are monitored on
their performance in real time.
We constantly extract processing
data from the system and work with
it to optimize our production
processes. All line supervisors can
effectively and easily monitor
production.”
How Does it Work?
Carcass quarters from stock are
weighed into the deboning hall and
information about each animal is
captured by the Innova StreamLine
module
The carcasses are then cut down
according to individual specifications and weighed as they enter
the StreamLine for deboning and
trimming.
Primals from the break down line
are distributed to work stations on
the StreamLine, based on operator
availability, and are de-boned,
trimmed, and skinned according to
individual specifications. All cuts to
and from each station are fully
traceable throughout the
production process. This optimizes
efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and
client satisfaction.
Technology for the Future
Slaney Foods undertook thorough
preparation and market analysis
prior to investing in this state of the
art StreamLine system. This
investment has ensured that the
company got the results it was
looking for: transparency, increased
productivity, traceability, and
operational excellence
guaranteeing the supply of
premium quality Irish beef to their
vast array of customers worldwide.
“I believe there is a huge need in the
industry for efficiency and for
maintaining and increasing quality,”
says Leslie Warren. “Automation is
the way to go and I would
encourage anybody thinking of
investing in their processing facility
to look at the future possibilities of
product developments and
consumer trends, and spend time to
tailor the system to what they truly
want to do with it.”
About the Company
Slaney Foods International (SFI) is a beef processing business located in the heart of the Slaney Valley, one of Ireland’s prime farming
regions. It combines best quality Irish Beef with ultra-modern processing facilities to offer a superb product range. Slaney Foods, along
with Irelands leading lamb processor Irish Country Meats, form part of the Linden Food Group, which also includes Linden Foods in
Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, a leading lamb and beef processor.
Established as a family business in 1970, SFI prides itself on its reputation for sourcing and producing only the highest quality Irish beef;
this is why Slaney Foods are recognized as The Beef Specialists. The supply of premium carcass and primal cuts of beef is its core
business, and the company has developed strong and successful long-term relationships with premium customers including leading
supermarket chains, the food service, and food manufacturing industry. The company currently employs approximately 350 people on
its site at Ryland Lower, Bunclody, Co. Wexford in Ireland.
GO TO: www.slaney.com
11
PAPERLESS QUALITY MANAGEMENT
IN REAL TIME
Meat processors require solutions that fit the needs of a
demanding environment and short delivery time, and the
way data is handled is critical to the constant improvement
of processes. Innova Quality Control helps processors
meet these demands by enabling them to catch potential
problems early, react in real time, continuously improve
quality, increase food safety, and minimize time in rework.
about quality control, fulfilling the
demands of food safety standards,
undergoing audits, and communicating with buyers.
“The software provides quality
managers with a toolbox they can
use to tailor a solid, functional, and
rapid response quality control
system to their particular needs,” says
Hjálmarsson.
Innova Quality Control enables
paperless control and automation of
the quality control process throughout the value chain. Quality control
managers can collect important and
valuable information for custommade reports and trend analysis,
enabling process improvements.
“Efficiency can be raised by using
dashboards to monitor performance
and respond in real time,” explains
Gústaf Helgi Hjálmarsson, Innova QC
Sales Consultant. “This enables
processors to benchmark suppliers,
and helps avoid potential problems
by building on past trends.”
Innova QC allows for flexible
registration, reliable data collection,
and full traceability, with all inspections directly linked to production,
raw material source, or final products.
This leaves meat processors feeling
more in charge and more at ease
12
Better Control
Keeping processing times to a
minimum is crucial for meat
processors. If there is a quality
deviation, they must know in real
time in order to respond quickly and
appropriately to prevent possible risk
and minimize costly disruptions.
Moving from paper to paperless
quality control, using Innova QC, is
the best way to do this.
“If a processor finds out today, for
example, that the temperature was
higher than expected last week, it is
already too late to take action,” says
Hjálmarsson. “But if he or she knows
that there are some temperature
problems right now, then there can
be an immediate response, and
corrective action can be taken to
minimize loss of quality and
production delays.”
With Innova QC, reports can be
created using the software’s
powerful end-user report designer.
These reports can contain any
information needed, with quality
control linked to traceability and
production data.
Online and Offline
Many plants can’t rely on stable internet connections, so Innova Quality
Control has built-in offline features to
enable control regardless of Wi-Fi
signal. This is a valuable feature when
it comes to environmental control,
hygienic control, and supplier audits,
to name a few. Innova QC supports
international food safety standards,
and all types of quality management
systems, big and small.
The offline feature is especially useful
for the meat industry when it comes
to the collection of live animals,
where quality control can start at the
farm. Innova QC supports the use of
cameras, enabling inspections to
take place using a tablet with built-in
camera and supported by an
inspection list with pictures.
Proven Success
Over 1000 Innova Software Solutions
systems have been sold, including
about 150 Innova QC systems, with
nearly 500 QC stations. Innova
Quality Control is a mature system
that has been developed in cooperation with some of the world’s major
food production companies, and the
second generation of Innova Quality
Control was released in March 2014.
GO TO:
marel.com/INNOVA/QualityControl
INSIGH T
–
M E AT
PR OCE SSING
ProFIVE
– Unrivalled Meat Quality
A vibrant partnership between Marel and Wijnen Meat has helped ensure that Marel’s ProFIVE can harvest meat at both
high quality and high yield, while also being the most versatile and adaptable meat harvesting system in its field.
Dutch meat processor, Wijnen Meat, was one of the first to
see the potential of Marel’s linear DMM (Desinewed
Minced Meat) technology to harvest the meat that is left
on the backbones after deboning.
Harvesting the meat from the bones they debone
themselves is important to Wijnen Meat since it provides
the constant product quality their customers demand. It
also gives them control over hygiene and the
bacteriological environment. This made them keen to be
involved when Marel was in the process of developing a
new meat harvester.
“We knew that the ProFIVE would produce the best
possible meat quality and were inspired by the fact it
could provide extra yield with this superior meat quality,”
Jacky Wijnen, owner of the company, explains.
“The flexibility in meat quality also attracted our attention,”
says Wijnen. Being able to produce meat of varying quality
enables processors to serve a broader range of customers.
“For now we use the 3 mm meat but we’re confident that
in the future we will use the flexibility of also producing
other meat qualities,” Wijnen explains. “We will be able to
seize opportunities as they appear.”
Combining Expertise with Experience
Many of Wijnen Meat’s employees have been working with
the company for more than 20 years and Marel made full
use of their experience and expertise when the ProFIVE
was in the final stages of its development.
Both companies cooperated closely on the technological
side in particular. Marel tested the output of the ProFIVE
extensively by means of texture analysis, which provided
valuable information for Wijnen Meat’s customers on the
‘bite’ of end products with 3 mm meat. Most of the 3 mm
Plant Manager Martien van de Vondervoort and owner Jacky
Wijnen.
pork meat is bought by further processing companies
that produce snacks or sausages.
Marel refined the ProFIVE during the trial at Wijnen
Meat. “The ProFIVE offers some important advantages
when compared to the DMM50: an extra yield of 4 to 6%
of the bone input weight while retaining the same high
meat quality,” says Martien van de Vondervoort, Plant
Manager at Wijnen Meat. “Plus it offers us a chance to
broaden our horizons and work in other market
segments in the future.”
Partnerships with customers like Wijnen Meat keep the
wheels of innovation turning and help ensure Marel is
successful in meeting the challenges meat processors
face. “Our partnership with Marel goes way back,” says
van de Vondervoort. “It started more than 25 years ago
and has always been strong.”
The ProFIVE has been realized with the cosponsoring of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs,
the province of Limburg, the province of Noord Brabant, and the city region Eindhoven (SRE).
Wijnen Meat in Brief
Wijnen Meat focuses on processing pork middles and produces approximately 600 tons of pork and bacon every week. The company
exports bacon to the UK where it is sliced into packages for retail and catering, and supplies pork bellies and other middle parts for
further processing to Europe. They buy middles and debone them to produce 20 varieties of fresh and frozen pork products.
GO TO:
www.wijnenmeat.nl
13
Polyslicers at Lynca Meats guarantee
the best bite every time.
Bringing Home Consistent,
Top Quality Bacon
14
Food processing companies
need to be able to deliver
consistent quality in an efficient
way. This is why South- African
Lynca Meats, home to New Style
Pork, opted for the Polyslicer
1000 shortly after the new
machine came onto the market
three years ago.
upgrading as production increases.
This one-of-a-kind machine is able to
cut between 1,200 and 1,500 slices of
bacon or other meats per minute,
which is important to a company like
Lynca Meats as it supplies many
restaurant chains in the Famous
Brands portfolio, including Wimpy
and Steers.
Meat processing presents many
unique challenges, so top companies
like Lynca Meats know how important
it is to have the very best equipment
and management systems on the
factory floor. They purchased the
Marel PolySlicer in 2012.
Consumers Get Consistent Quality
Superb slicing accuracy is also a key
benefit, especially for high-end retail
clients like Woolworths, which aims
to offer consistent quality to its
customers.
Customized Set-up
“We chose the Polyslicer 1000
because it offered distinctive features
and could be customized to meet our
needs,” says André Snyman, Lynca
Meats General Manager. “It is a
compact, versatile, and easy-to-use
machine that has enabled us to
maximize throughput and yields.”
The Polyslicer 1000 is constructed
from stainless steel and is compliant
and waterproof to IP65 standards.
Using a 1,250 mm-long loading bed
of up to three logs wide, fast and
accurate slicing is guaranteed. Slice
denial is also standard and a
check-weigher can be added to
provide feedback for fixed-weight
applications.
The Polyslicer 1000 is an automatic
slicer with exceptional capabilities
and retro-installable upgrades, which
gives food processors the option of
The first Polyslicer at Lynca Meats
was so successful that the company
has just purchased and installed a
second machine.
Lynca Meats in Brief
Lynca Meats supplies a range of quality
pork carcasses, primal and processed
products to the food service, wholesale,
butchery and retail industries. In 2011,
South African company New Style Pork
(Pty) Ltd rebranded itself as Lynca Meats
and now produces products under the
Lynca Abattoir and New Style Pork
brands. The facility is capable of handling
4,000 pigs per week. When the company
was founded in 1988 that number was
100 pigs.
GO TO:
www.lyncameats.co.za
INSIGH T
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M E AT
PR OCE SSING
Semi-Automatic Deboning
of Whole Pig Heads
– Turning a by-product into a prime source of meat and profit
Although up to 50% of a pig head can
be turned into valuable products,
financial benefits of pig head
deboning have traditionally been low.
Pig head meat is notoriously difficult
to harvest and compared to e.g. pork
shoulders, yield is relatively low. As a
result deboning has only been
profitable for highly specialized
companies.
Marel’s Pig Head Deboner can change
that. By dividing deboning tasks into
well-defined and simple part actions,
and replacing manual labor by
automated mechanical actions on a
number of key points, the need for
skilled manual labor decreases
considerably. This leads to a
significant drop in labor costs and an
increase in efficiency, throughput,
and yield.
1
2
3
4
1. Pre-cutting • 2. Preparation • 3. Mask pulling • 4. Deboning/trimming.
Pig head meat collected on the PHD-line can be processed
in a large variety of end products. A couple of possibilities:
Part of Pig Head
Application
Ear, nose
Rind without meat Rind with meat
Pork head trimmings
Temple meat
Soup, roast, pet food
Sausage emulsions
Finely textured sausages
Coarsely textured sausages
Babi pangang, pork satay,
head cheese, aspic
Pork satay, babi pangang
Galtas
Porchetta di testa
Cheek meat
Cheek bone with meat
Whole head
Possible set-ups and performance estimates:
Capacity – heads/hour Labor – number of people Efficiency – heads/person/hour
450
11 41 600
15
40
3
2
1
Capacities and Required Manual Labor
The Pig Head Deboner is a flexible and versatile system that
can be fully adapted to processing needs, required end
products, and to the skill level of the workers.
250 7
36
4
1. Jawbone • 2. Mask with cheek meat • 3. Skull • 4. Head meat
15
Progress Point
4 March 2015
for Red Meat Events
Progress Point, our newest training and
demonstration center, is located in Denmark,
only 5 minutes away from Copenhagen’s
Kastrup Airport.
The facilities feature 2700m2 of demonstration halls,
meeting rooms, a large auditorium, professional
kitchen, and extensive dining area. These state-of-theart facilities are ideal for showcasing Marel products,
staging events, holding meetings, and running training
workshops. The demonstration area is designed to
simulate real food processing plant conditions, with
900m2 of demonstration space that includes wet and
cooling areas.
Several events for the red meat industry have already
taken place at Progress Point including a Marinating
Event and the 2014 Meat ShowHow. Red meat
processors from around the world have participated at
the events experiencing a vast array of what Marel can
do for process automation, efficiency increase, and cost
reduction.
Global Meat Industry
•
At Marel, we aim to stay at
the forefront in providing you
with innovative processing
technologies.
•
With our expertise and extended
sales and service organization,
we deliver advanced equipment
and systems, creating maximum
process performance and value
for you.
marel.com