SDC349: The Poultry Food System: A Farm to Table Model
Statement of Issues and Justification
The world poultry industry has maintained growth at unprecedented rates while consumer life styles and food preferences continue to change. Convenience foods that are consumer-friendly, affordable, nutritious, safe, and able to satisfy all of the basic consumers quality preferences continue to direct the poultry industrys marketing path. To meet these needs, poultry producers and processors with the aid of University-directed research such as through the efforts of regional research projects are seeking to develop advanced production and processing technologies for use in producing consumer-oriented products. These changing technologies will require new basic knowledge about regional poultry production and processing efficiencies, and the safety, functional properties, and stability of poultry and egg products. In addition to the efforts of the poultry industry, much of the fundamental research that supports these efforts can best be achieved by coordinating and directing the efforts and expertise of individual researchers within experiment stations into regional efforts that prevent duplication and take advantage of unique capabilities of individuals and facilities at different locations. This regional project is composed of three objective areas: 1. Poultry Meat Safety, 2. Poultry Meat Quality, 3. Egg Quality and Safety. The intent of this multistate regional research project is to efficiently use the capabilities of the cooperators and their respective facilities to achieve the project objectives that address current regional and national priorities of improving consumer food safety and product acceptance, and the commercial profitability of poultry meat and eggs by solving critical problems related to the quality of poultry meat and eggs; specifically color, flavor, or texture of the product, and the safety of poultry meat and eggs; specifically pathogen colonization, contamination, decontamination.Poultry Meat Safety
Outbreaks of foodborne illness continue to persist in the U.S. food supply even though it is considered one of the safest in the world. There are an estimated 60 to 80 million individuals who contract foodborne illness each year leading to approximately 3,000 deaths (CDC, 2012). The annual costs of foodborne illness in the U.S. are estimated at from $5 to $6 billion, including both medical costs and productivity losses. Poultry products have come under scrutiny over the past several years due to listeriosis outbreaks and product recalls of precooked ready-to-eat products. As a consequence, the FSIS has implemented a zero tolerance for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat products. Although FSIS instituted HACCP in 1996, food-borne illness continues to be a significant problem in consumers of poultry. Poultry processing plants throughout the U.S. are challenged by even lower USDA Salmonella standards. Thus, the need to develop intervention strategies to aid in the elimination of pathogenic bacteria from the nation s food supply is a concern for both producers and consumers of poultry products. Moreover, USDA-FSIS has recently enacted Campylobacter standards. Many poultry companies are having difficulty meeting these standards as no field interventions exist for this pathogen.
Removal and destruction of pathogens on the surfaces of poultry products are important links in the goal of producing pathogen-free products. Hence, new methods to reduce bacterial populations inherent to poultry products are needed while assuring that products reach the consumer in a wholesome state. Previous studies (NC, SC) have successfully demonstrated that the combination of in-package surface pasteurization and primary packaging films that deliver food-grade bacteriocins to the surfaces of fresh poultry products eliminates pathogens on meat surfaces.
The failure to identify effective intervention strategies such as proposed in this project would not reduce the present risk of foodborne illness associated with the consumption of contaminated poultry products and would lead to a significant economic loss for both industry and consumers. Moreover, the significant cost of product recalls of ready-to-eat poultry products stemming from Listeria monocytogenes contamination would continue to further threaten the economic vitality of the commercial poultry industry. The participating scientists have previously conducted and published the findings from several studies that have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of inhibitory biocides and in-package heat treatments acting alone to reduce food pathogen populations on the surfaces of meat products. The advantages of conducting this study under a multistate arrangement are the utilization of expertise that exists at separate institutions. Dr. Dawson (SC) brings to the project the necessary expertise and production facilities required to develop and test the biocide-containing packaging films used in the in-package pasteurization process. SC is known for outstanding food research packaging program and facilities. Without the collective expertise of these two investigators and their accessible facilities, the satisfactory completion of this project would not be possible. Dr. Alvarado (TX) and Dr. McKee (AL) have expertise in the use of antimicrobial ingredient addition into meat products to inhibit microbial growth, especially in ready to eat products. Because of the level of sophistication required to conduct pathogen intervention research, a multistate effort is required. For example, to conduct a study to determine the effect of multiple interventions on Listeria contamination of chicken breast fillets and the effect of these interventions on meat quality, a pilot scale facility would be needed to apply chemicals during processing (AL, AR, GA), a cooking facility to fully cook the products (AL, TX), and a packaging facility to package the products (SC).. No such single research facility exists at one institution that can meet all of these needs.
Exclusion of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms from ready-to-eat poultry products by a simple non-evasive process, such as described in this study, achieved in a practical and economical way such as an in-package process, could contribute to a significant decrease in the incidence of human illness and the attendant costs. The combination of in-package pasteurization with preservatives could also assure the safety and quality of poultry products throughout retail marketing. Other project impacts would include documenting and validating the conditions required to produce a safe ready-to-eat poultry product. Moreover, evaluating inhibitory agents with thermal treatments coupled with existing modified atmosphere packaging technology for use in reducing pathogens on poultry products will be useful for gaining acceptance of these processes by regulatory agencies. By teaming with commercial film producers (Cryovac or Sealed Air Corp.) the methodology generated in our proposed study can be used to develop commercially valid processes that will ensure product safety while maintaining product quality.
Poultry Meat Quality
Total U.S. per capita consumption of poultry meat has doubled in the past 40 years alone, increasing from 48 lbs in 1970 to nearly 100 lbs in 2010 with the majority (>60%) comprised of boneless meat. Today, approximately 90% of the market consists of parts and further processed products compared to only 20% in 1960. The demand for boneless breast meat has steadily increased over the past 30 years and is produced for many market segments including retail, foodservice, and further processing. Broilers are processed in a variety of weight ranges in order to meet specific customer needs, and the processing of large birds, 6-9 lb., is becoming increasingly popular. More recently, a greater percentage of boneless, skinless breast meat comes from the big bird market segment because of increased yields and pounds per man hour. The average live weight of birds in this segment is now around 7.6 lbs. (ranging 6-9 lbs), approximately a 15% increase over 10 years ago. This demand has been met in part by the poultry industrys aim to provide lean and convenient products and to focus on the further processed markets. Concerns about maintaining quality, color, flavor, and functionality of poultry products are continuing to be expressed by both the poultry processing industry and consumers, especially as growth rate and bird sizes (weights) have increased. Furthermore, consumer expectations for consistent quality are increasing while demands for convenience have resulted in processes, such as accelerated processing and precooking, that place severe strain on color, textural, and flavor because of incomplete resolution of rigor mortis and the tendency for poultry meat lipids to oxidize resulting in warmed over flavors . Continuing prevalence of defective meat such as PSE and white striping conditions and failure to reduce the incidence and/or severity of those conditions will further reduce the efficiency and competitiveness of the U.S. poultry industry in the global poultry market.
Current and future trends include the use of marination for the enhancement of meat quality, controlled atmosphere and low atmosphere stunning, chilling processes, streamlined processing (minimal aging), portioning and packaging techniques. These trends have the potential to impact poultry meat quality positively or negatively. Currently in the U.S. food industry, there is a trend toward marinating poultry products as a way to add value to the product and/or to improve quality of early deboned meat or PSE-like meat. Popular and functional non-meat ingredients including soy protein, carrageenan, and modified food starch have been traditionally added to meat products to serve as extenders, binders, and fillers in emulsified and comminuted products. However, there is limited information on the ability of these non-meat ingredients to increase the water holding capacity of whole muscle products. Because these products are used to increase the water holding capacity in many blended food products, they may be effective in improving poultry deli loaves made with whole muscle poultry meat that exhibit the PSE condition. If these ingredients can restore meat functionality, then yield losses currently incurred would dramatically diminish resulting in economic benefits to the industry. However, clean labels (limited ingredients, recognizable by consumers) are also in demand by consumers and therefore, processors. Using limited ingredients can result in continuted poor meat qualiy characteristics in finished products if raw ingredients are of poor quality (i.e,. PSE meat).
Animal welfare is a major concern in animal agriculture. Stunning methods for poultry are important as they are tools to render birds unconscious prior to slaughter. Developing and/or optimizing stunning methods are areas for research addressing both welfare and quality issues. Controlled atmosphere and low atmosphere stunning methods are less common in the U.S, but are effective means for humanely rendering birds unconscious. However, some of these methods are new or have new delivery technologies and therefore, have limited information available on its impact on quality. Furthermore, pressures from consumer groups may impact the use of such technologies in the future so research in this are should be kept on the forefront. In the last decade, the poultry industry has been challenged with the problem of PSE-like turkey meat, similar to the condition found in pork. PSE meat is unacceptably pale in color, forms soft gels, and is exudative. It has been estimated that up to 50% of todays poultry meat has a lightness value sufficient to be classified as pale. It is estimated that a single processing plant could be losing $2 to $4 million per year due to lost yield (drip and cook losses). In addition, poultry processors are concerned with the appearance of this PSE meat in fresh tray packs as the excessively pale color can affect color uniformity within the package and consumer appeal. A more recent quality defect for broiler breast meat is the appearance of white stripes in the meat. Research shows that consumer acceptance of the appearance of these fillets is significantly affected which could result in decreased sales at the retail level. The condition is related to rapid growth rate and while initial results have indicated that some meat quality parameters are not affected, the overall effect on product quality is not known. Furthermore, the relationship between animal welfare and this condition is not known.
There are multiple production and processing factors that negatively impact the quality of the product. The ability of an individual investigator to fully address each of the factors associated is remote because of time, resource, and expertise limitations. However, collectively through a regional research partnership, the scientific expertise and infrastructure exists to address the external components that influence the four critical research problems. Thus, the probability of identifying solutions to these problems is enhanced considerably through regional research collaborations as opposed to the isolated efforts of individual investigators. The farm-to-table approach will be applied to solving problems associated with the biology of poultry meat and its response to the processing and retail environments. This multi-institutional and multi-dimensional effort will involve research on the slaughter plant and the fabrication/retail environments to achieve solutions for maintaining tender poultry meat during changes in processing schemes, the reduction or better utilization of the defective meat, and maintaining high quality meat or improving meat quality of meat processed using technologies new to the U.S. poultry industry. Within each of these dimensions, the focus of the studies will be on identification of causative factors for each meat defect in an effort to reduce its incidence, further characterization of the defective meat, or corrective factors/techniques that may improve the use of the defective meat. Studies will focus on developing new technology methods to improve meat tenderness of early harvested breast fillets; these methods must be able to easily fit into processing schemes.
The inconsistent occurrence of PSE meat in test or commercial flocks combined with the lack of knowledge about its causes as well as the white striping issue in meat makes the interdependence of stations essential for solving this problem. There will be considerable exchange of birds, meat, and information between stations in the proposed studies. This exchange is required because some stations do not have ready access to live production or processing facilities. Sharing information and materials will provide a more efficient use of resources and provide a more organized and comprehensive approach to solving this problem. The impact of successfully completing this project will aid in the reduction of the incidence of PSE-like meat in poultry and the reduction in lost yield. It could also aid in reducing the incidence and/or severity of white striping in meat which may help to improve consumer acceptability of fresh retail products. Benefits of understanding the causes of both conditions may also lead to better animal welfare.
Stakeholders (researchers and industry personnel) need a clearer description to understand the requirements for true kosher and halal slaughter as it applies to the slaughter and bleeding of poultry and its relationship to other commercial bleeding procedures. Unfortunately, most descriptions of kosher and halal slaughter methods are superficially reported and the reader is left to assume what procedures were done. Presently, inappropriate references to kosher or halal slaughter methods are common in the published literature. This misrepresentation will continue until clearer anatomical and religious requirements are described, published, and widely distributed. The absence of clear definitions perpetuates the confusion and inaccurate conceptions related to the bleeding methodology required for religious slaughter. The collaborating scientists have first hand knowledge of ritual kosher and halal slaughter, expertise in avian anatomy, and have demonstrated the ability to prepare informational brochures, manuscripts, and lecture material. Kosher processing plants in the states of New Jersey, Iowa and Pennsylvania, have working relationships with Dr. Regenstein (NY) who has in-depth knowledge of kosher (Jewish) slaughter. Dr. Buhr (ARS) has a background in anatomy and cooperates with commercial broiler processing plants in the Southeast. Providing precise descriptions of the slaughter and bleeding methods will enable a clearer interpretation of published research and a better understanding of the physiology and mechanics of slaughter and bleeding. NY, ARS will work with other stations the impact of religious slaughter on food safety and meat quality.
Egg Quality and Safety Eggs are a significant agricultural commodity and an important portion of Americas diet. Americans consumed approximately 248 eggs per capita annually, fueling a domestic egg industry that produced 78.5 billion eggs in 2010 (AEB, 2012). Improvements in the management, disease control, nutrition, and genetics of laying hens as well as advancements in egg processing technology over the past 50 years have changed todays egg quality, composition, and safety; yet few investigations have documented these changes. In 2009, the Food and Drug Administration published a final rule to control Salmonella contamination and growth during egg production and through transporation (FDA, 2009). Egg producers with greater than 3,000 hens on site are held to the various requirements of the law. Updated research is needed to serve as a current baseline for evaluation of the application of the new regulations related to egg washing temperatures. In addition, research is needed to aid the egg processing industry to solve the technical problems that have hindered maintaining the consistent quality of the variety of egg products produced for todays market over the egg production cycle of the laying hens.
Collaborative efforts are proposed by the institutions (AL, GA, NC) involved in this proposed project to identify the factors that have impacted egg quality and to determine viable alternatives to maintain and/or improve the quality and safety of shell eggs and egg products. Collaborative efforts for egg research are key for large-scale investigations to be conducted. Research projects between these scientists provide access to the facilities needed to conduct the production research on the farm, egg processing research, and evaluate consumer acceptance of products. NC has excellent layer production facilities, GA has egg processing and bacterial expertise, and AL has long term egg storage and consumer product evaluation experience. It is through the combined efforts of these scientists and their institutional facilities that the current problems related to shell egg quality and safety can be identified and answers provided to egg producers and processors enabling them to maintain consistent quality standards.
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