Food chain in need of stronger links
Food chain in need of stronger links
CLOSER relations are needed between links in the food chain to ensure meat quality is not compromised, allowing red meat producers to maximise margins.
Jeff Wood from the University of Bristol told seminar delegates that meat quality is negatively influenced by things that happen at different stages of the food chain. "Processors play a major role in end product quality, but their priority is yield extracted from a carcass. To save on evaporative weight loss, many will chill meat quickly even though this toughens the end product.
"Ageing is important to increase meat tenderness, however the longer a carcass is hung, energy and space costs rise. Fattier carcasses taste better, but processors have to trim more off the carcass."
The question is how to balance yield for processors, while retaining quality. "Processors and producers must share information and come to a compromise. Quality is crucial to UK meat sales because it is difficult to compete purely on price."