SEMA_________________________________

SOUTHEASTERN MEAT ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 620777; Oviedo, FL 32762 Phone: 407-365-5661

Business: “A-Maze or A-Maze-ing”
Mark your calendar!
The SEMA Convention
Brasstown Valley Resort, Young Harris, GA
June 11th & 12th

Thirty-five exhibitors will be sharing the latest in trends and technology. Visit the table-top exhibits to see what they have to offer and share ideas on new products, packaging and production efficiency.

An informative program is being put together. Back this year will be David Long-Daniels of Greenberg Traurig and Terry Vargo of the Citizens Bank of Florida. This year David will update us on the Legislative laws and how they may affect out business. David will also touch on things you need to know about your company handbook. Terry will give an economic overview and share how in this economy, companies and banks can work together. Jeff Chilton of Chilton Consulting will review SQF, BRC and other programs; their importance and how to get certified. Howard Eubanks of FOSS will give us new ways to maximize yields. In today’s world you should be using the internet as a marketing tool. Jimmy Puckett of Spinen will tell us how to make our web sites work for us. He will also give us other internet marketing tools and tell us which ones are the best and what to stay away from.

Convention information and registration is available on the SEMA web site: Convention.

Brasstown Valley Resort: The resort is nestled among the North Georgia Mountains. There is much to do on the 503 acres resort including golf, tennis, horseback riding, stream or pond fishing, outdoor and indoor swimming pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center and over 9 miles of hiking trails or enjoy a luxurious spa experience at the Equani Spa, a full-service spa. In the surrounding area nature lovers will enjoy rock climbing, white water and tube rafting, canoeing, kayaking, and guided lake tours.

SEMA Working for You

SEMA dues are working for you. The SEMA Board of Directors asked the Universities that partner with SEMA to research the limits on chill time for large muscle pork, an alternative to Appendix B. Dr. Chad Carr of the University of Florida has sent in a review of the project.

Effect of four levels of sodium chloride inclusion on the growth of Clostridium perfringens from ready-to-cook hams chilled from 130ºF to 80ºF in 5, 10, 15, or 20 hours.

Clostridium perfringens is a bacterium which can be present on the external surface of carcasses during processing and can be introduced into the inside of the muscle during needle injection. Cooking meat products to 158ºF kills the vegetative bacterial cells of C. perfringens, but the bacterial spores can survive, germinate, and grow in the absence of oxygen when temperatures linger from 60 to 130oF during chilling. The USDA-FSIS developed and enforces Appendix B, “Guidelines for Cooling Heat-Treated Meat and Poultry Products”, which requires cured meat products to be chilled from 130oF to 80oF within five hours and then from 80oF to 45oF in an additional ten hours for a total chilling time of fifteen hours.

The two project objectives will be to:

A) Determine the effect of four levels of sodium chloride (1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0%) on the growth of C. perfringens from hams which are chilled from 130ºF to 80ºF in 5, 10, 15 or 20 hours, respectively.
B) Utilize these results to develop a predictive model of C. perfringens growth during the cooling of cured, whole-muscle, ready-to-cook hams.

Boneless inside ham pieces will be prepared using four brine solutions at a 35% injection level. The treatments will use four levels of sodium chloride (1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0%) and a constant level of sodium nitrite (156 ppm) and sodium tripolyphosphate (0.4%). Samples will be inoculated to ensure each sample receives 2.6 log10 colony forming units (CFU)/g ham. Each sample will be cooked to 145°F indicative of a ready-to-cook ham. All samples will be chilled to 130ºF within 1.5 hours, then chilled from 130ºF to 80ºF in 5, 10, 15, or 20 hours, respectively. All samples will be chilled from 80ºF to 45ºF within an additional 10 hours. The time–temperature histories described for the four cooling scenarios will be continually monitored. Samples will be removed at frequent intervals, according to each cooling scenario, for enumeration of C. perfringens cells. The results from this work will be used to develop a dynamic growth model to predict C. perfringens growth under time-varying temperature conditions.

Salmonella Settlement

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about 120 victims of 2009’s Salmonella outbreak or their families—along with their attorneys—will split about $12 million as part of a settlement with the insurer of Peanut Corp. of America. Proceeds from the sale of assets of the bankrupt Peanut Corp. will go to creditors, leaving the $12 million to come from an insurance policy that Lynchburg, VA based Peanut Corp had with Hartford Insurance Company.

Nine people died and more than 700 were sickened from eating peanuts and peanut paste traced to the Peanut Corp. Claims against the Peanut Corp. had to be filed by Oct. 31, 2009.

Adding Rosemary to Beef may Decrease Cancer-Causing Agents

A study published in the Journal of Food Science shows that the addition of rosemary extract to ground beef reduces cancer-causing agents that can form upon cooking. Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are mutagenic compounds that for when meat is cooked at high temperatures. The National Toxicology Program of the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services categorizes HCAs as human carcinogens that can increase the risk of certain types of cancers.

The study compared five rosemary extracts with varying concentrations of water and ethanol and their ability to inhibit HCA formation in cooked beef patties. Rosemary extracts were isolated with ethanol concentrations ranging from 10% to 40%. The extracts were added directly onto the ground beef patties and cooked at two different temperatures: 400°F for 5 min each side and 375°F for 6 min each side. Researchers found that all of the concentrations significantly decreased the levels of HCAs at both cooking temperatures. When beef patties were cooked at 400°F for 5 min per side, the rosemary extracted at the lower ethanol concentrations were most effective in inhibiting HCA formation. It should be noted that rosemary extracts prepared at these lower ethanol concentrations contain a mixture of rosmarinic acid, carnosol, and carnosic acid, and these compounds just may work together in inhibiting HCA formation. Thus, rosemary extracts may not be the same depending on what solvents are used.

Food Safety Initiatives for School Lunch Programs

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced several new initiatives to assure the safety and quality of food purchased by USDA for the National School Lunch Program and other food and nutrition assistance programs.

The initiatives Sceretary Vilsack announced include:

• AMS will implement new food safety purchasing requirements for its beef suppliers as a result of a review of the beef purchase program conducted by FSIS and ARS. AMS will continue its zero tolerance for Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 for its products and will continue to use onsite meat acceptance specialists and other control measures.
• FSIS will work with AMS to review and evaluate meat, poultry, and processed egg vendors as part of the AMS vendor eligibility process.
• FNS will review and evaluate methods currently being used by state agencies to communicate with schools and school districts regarding product recalls. FNS will develop performance criteria for states that allow them to provide rapid communication to schools and school districts. FNS will provide financial assistance to states to allow them to upgrade the speed and accuracy of their food safety messages.
• FNS will also establish a Center of Excellence devoted to research on school food safety issues in FNS child nutrition programs. Research is needed in areas such as produce safety, proper cooling practices, evaluation of in-school food safety programs, and the containment of norovirus, which is the leading cause of food borne illness in schools.

The initiatives announced Feb. 4 are a combined effort of five USDA agencies—the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).

USDA Final Rule on Organic Access to Pasture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced details of the final regulation regarding access to pasture for organic livestock operations. The rule amends the National Organic Program (NOP) regulations to clarify the use of pasture in raising organic ruminants.

The USDA received a substantial number of comments on provisions of the rule affecting finish feeding practices of slaughter livestock, and has extended the comment period for this provision for 60 days. Finish feeding is commonly used by organic farmers and ranchers to improve the grade of beef and involves feeding livestock grain.

The main components of the rule include:

• Animals must graze pasture during the grazing season, which must be at least 120 days per year;
• Animals must obtain a minimum of 30% dry matter intake from grazing pasture during the grazing season;
• Producers must have a pasture management plan and manage pasture as a crop to meet the feed requirements for the grazing animals and to protect soil and water quality; and,
• Livestock are exempt from the 30% dry matter intake requirements during the finish feeding period, not to exceed 120 days. Livestock must have access to pasture during the finishing phase.

The final rule becomes effective 120 days after publication, June 17, 2010. Operations which are already certified organic will have one year to implement the provisions. Operations which obtain organic certification after the effective date will be expected to demonstrate full compliance. Although this is a final rule, comments on the exceptions for finish feeding of ruminant slaughter stock may be submitted before April 19, 2010. This 60-day comment period pertains to the finish feeding provisions only. The specific questions to consider and instructions for submitting comments are available on the NOP Web site.

Regulatory Web Seminars

In continuing the efforts for outreach to small and very small plants, FSIS is sponsoring a series of monthly web seminars. The seminars cover a variety of technical topics concerning FSIS policies and new technologies of interest to industry.

During the sessions, participants will gain insight on how FSIS will verify that Sanitary Dressing Procedures are being followed, how Sanitary Dressing Procedures are critical to reducing E. coli O157:H7 to undetectable levels, and how to verify that plant interventions are validated and used as intended. Participants will also become aware of the triggers that indicate that Sanitary Dressing Procedures may be out of control and have a greater understanding of validated HACCP plans and interventions.

To attend the webinars please follow the links below to join the event directly:
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET
Direct Link: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW2873196&p=SANITARY%20DRE&t=c
Audio Call-In: 1-877-917-2517
Passcode: Sanitary Dressing

E. coli Mini-Conference

SEMA is partnering with the North American Meat Processors Association (NAMP) and six other leading industry associations to co-sponsor an E. coli O157:H7 Mini-Conference on March 18, from 1 pm – 5 pm, at The Drake Hotel in Chicago, IL.

SEMA co-sponsored last year’s E. coli workshop attended by more than 100 people. This year’s mini-conference takes a more comprehensive look at a company’s entire food safety system, focusing on the best controls available to prevent E. coli O157:H7 from being present in your products. SEMA members are invited to stay for the two-day Meat Industry Management Conference presented by NAMP that follows. SEMA members qualify for lower members-only registration for both the mini-conference as well as the management conference.

Day one focuses on food safety with Dr. Dan Engeljohn of the FSIS Policy Office; Dr. Jim Marsden, Regent’s Distinguished Professor of Meat Science at Kansas State University, and other issue leaders. Day two focuses on marketing, management, and red meat market outlook issues.

Dr. Engeljohn will cover details about FSIS recent initiatives on E. coli O157:H7, including important information about plans to trace back to the supplier when an inspector finds positive product at a downstream grinder. He also will participate with the other speakers in a panel discussion and question and answer session.

Additional featured speakers at the E. coli Mini-Conference include:

• Dr. Dennis Burson, Professor, Meat Extension and Food Safety Specialist, University of Nebraska;
• Tim Biela, Vice-President of Food Safety & Quality Assurance, American Foodservice.
• Bobby Palesano, Vice President of Technical Services, International HACCP Alliance.

The mini-conference will focus on four major areas:

• Building Block #1: “Plant Environment” Includes information on creating an ideal plant environment for food safety focusing on sanitation of equipment and facilities, employee hygiene and training.
• Building Block #2: “Prerequisite Programs” Includes information on creating an effective prerequisite program, and on creating an approved supplier program, raw material testing, and identifying problem suppliers.
• Building Block #3: “HACCP” Focuses on completing a hazard analysis and identifying CCPs and corrective actions.
• FSIS Policy: Essential to anyone involved in food safety is an understanding of the regulatory requirements and future initiatives.

For more information and to register, go directly to www.namp.com.

The other six co-sponsors include the American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP), the American Meat Institute Foundation (AMIF), the American Meat Science Association (AMSA), the National Meat Association (NMA), the Southwest Meat Association (SMA), and the Chicago Mid-West Meat Association (CMMA).

Hamburger Basics

A survey funded by the Beef Check-off Program conducted July 30 to August 4, 2009 found, fifty-seven percent of consumers learned how to cook hamburgers from a parent, while 29 percent were self-taught. That said, only 13 percent of those surveyed correctly identified 160ºF as the proper cooking temperature for ground beef.

University of Florida Meat Judging Team

The 2009 UF Meat Judging Team consists of members: Laura Conaway of DeLeon Springs, Jackie Eager of Williston, Melissa Miller of Brandon, Marisa White of Inglis and adviser Dr. Chad Carr of the Univ. of FL.

The 2009 University of Florida Intercollegiate Meat Judging Team recently completed a very successful campaign. These students performed admirably throughout the duration of the year which culminated in our final two national contests, the Cargill Meat Solutions contest in Plainview, TX, and the International contest in Dakota City, NE. These students finished as the 3rd highest team in total placing and 3rd in beef judging at the Cargill Meat Solutions contest. At the International, they finished as the 5th highest team in beef grading, tied for 5th in pork judging, and tied for 6th in beef judging. We in the Department of Animal Sciences are very proud of these students for these achievements.

FSIS Notices Issued in February

FSIS Notice 10-10 (Feb 18, 2010)
Notice 10-10, Exception for Certain Products from the FSIS Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Sampling Programs.

FSIS Directive 7120.1 (Feb 4, 2010)
Safe and Suitable Ingredients Used in the Production of Meat and Poultry Products - Revision 1 an up-to-date list of substances that may be used in the production of meat and poultry products

FSIS Directive 7120.1 Revision 1
Safe and Suitable Ingredients Used in the Production of Meat and Poultry Products

FSIS Directive 9500.3
Label Verification Procedure of Imported Products

FSIS Notice 11-10
Sampling of Low Production Volume Raw Ground Beef Establishments for Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7

All notices and directives are available at www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/index.asp

SEMA Member News

Kusel Equipment Co.: as of December 31, 2009 sold select assets of Vortron Smokehouses Business to Vortron Smokehouses, LLC. Kusel Equipment Co. will continue to manufacture and service their other product lines (cheese and dairy manufacturing equipment and stainless floor drainage systems). Vortron Smokehouses LLC is owned and operated by Dan Mertes. Dan has been Kusel’s Product Manager for the Vortron Smokehouse. He has great experience and expertise with the product line. Vortron Smokehouse LLC can be contacted at 800.874.1949 or 608.362.0862.

VC999 has big news about a small machine; introducing the new form-fill-seal packaging system. For more information contact Jim Wright @ 800.728.2999. VC999 will be an exhibitor at the SEMA convention this June.

Curwood has donated $100.00 to the SEMA scholarship fund. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Curwood for the contribution. Curwood will be exhibiting at the SEMA convention.

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Things to Ponder . . . . . . . . .
“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow.
The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."
Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. president
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