Many people don't necessarily think about the process that occurs in order to get the food they buy, including meat products. Meat products go through a processing plant before ending up in grocery stores'and food processing plants are massive operations. They must meet specific safety and handling requirements set by the FDA and USDA and they require special processing plant equipment to function. Here is what you should know about these plants and the equipment that goes into them.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of meat filling machine. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
WHAT IS A MEAT PROCESSING PLANT?
Meat processing plants, sometimes called slaughterhouses, are involved in slaughtering and processing animals into meat for consumption. They handle every step of the process, from intake to packaging for distribution. They have a long history, and the methods and equipment have fortunately evolved. Now, plants rely on special machinery to help make the processing easier, more efficient, and more sanitary.
EQUIPMENT USED IN MEAT PROCESSING PLANT
There is a lot of equipment inside a meat processing plant, and while it can vary in size and function, most of the equipment is made of food-safe stainless steel to ensure it is safe and sanitary. Some of the basic equipment in a meat processing plant includes:
1. KNIVES AND MEAT SAWS
The most basic equipment commonly found in a meat processing plant are knives used to cut meat. Sharp knives are essential for a faster and safer process. If a knife is dull, a butcher may have to use more force to get the job done, which can result in serious injuries.
A meat saw is typically found in larger operations. These are large, stainless steel saws with a fine-toothed blade that can quickly butcher whole animals into smaller pieces.
2. MEAT GRINDERS
Meat grinders are a popular type of meat processing plant equipment and help cut, mix, chop, or mincemeat into smaller pieces. Grinders create ground meat products that can be turned into patties, sausages, or sold as-is for consumers to use as they please.
3. SLICERS
Slicers are used for slicing meat products into various thicknesses. A slicer can create deli meat, bacon, steaks, pork chops, and more. It will create evenly-sized slices of whatever you desire at a rapid pace, and automated systems help ensure that employees stay safe.
4. SMOKER CURING OVENS
A smoke curing oven is a piece of equipment used in a meat processing plant that isn't cheap, especially when buying a high-quality oven. Smokers allow the plant to create smoked and cured meat products, such as ham, bacon, and jerky.
5. MEATBALL, PATTY, AND SAUSAGE MACHINES
In the past, plant employees had to form meatballs and meat patties by hand. Today, there are individual, specialized machines that can create these types of speciality products by the hundreds in just a matter of minutes.
There are also machines designed to stuff and tie sausage casings faster than the average human.
A processing plant can significantly increase its production time by pairing these types of speciality machines with industrial grinders.
6. COOLERS AND FREEZERS
Meat cannot stay at room temperature or it will spoil, which makes storing it at the correct temperature crucial. Coolers and freezers are basic equipment in a meat processing plant that is necessary, regardless of the size or type of meat products you make. They keep products at the appropriate temperature to prevent spoiling, which can result in the growth of harmful bacteria.
7. MEAT MIXERS
Meat mixers are used to mix meats and spices. These types of mixers are essential for mixing large batches of ground meats for meatballs, sausages, patties, and other prepared meat products.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Clipping Machine.
8. FLOOR DRAINAGE
Something that is often overlooked, but is a crucial piece of equipment in a meat processing plant, is a floor drain system. Drainage systems are vital to processing plants, as they help maintain a clean and sanitary processing area.
Systems like FoodSafe Drains keep wastewater and other fluids, like blood, off of the floor, in order to help the floors dry and minimize the risk of bacteria growth and contamination. Allowing the floors to dry also creates a safer work environment because workers will not have to worry about slipping on a slick surface.
FoodSafe Drains offers various options, with two of their most popular options being the 10,000 Series Slot Drain and Trench Drain systems, which are both made of highly durable, food-safe stainless steel.
INVESTING IN THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT
Meat processing plants have come a long way by improving their techniques, equipment, and safety regulations. No matter what meat products you produce, you want to invest in the highest quality equipment to get the job done right. These are just some examples of the equipment used in a meat processing plant that you may want to invest in. Take the time to consider what your plant needs so that you do not spend unnecessary money, and research what company offers the best products.
When it comes to the best drainage solutions in the industry, FoodSafe Drains has you covered. Contact us today for the best drain solutions for your food facility.
If you're considering switching from hand filling to using a premade pouch packing machine, or updating your current premade pouch packaging equipment, you're probably asking yourself these three very important questions.
Download our free guide to get answers to 10 top questions about pouch filling and sealing machines. >>
1. We are hand filling now. How much faster will the machine be?
Like anything else, that depends on the bag and the contents. Many experienced packaging associates can bag anywhere from 5 ' 15 bags per minute. A single-lane premade pouch packing machine can fill and seal 35 ' 60 bags per minute. This variation in output is because the machine doesn't dictate the machine speed, the contents do. For example, the bagging speed for hard candy is different than that of fine or dusty material. We can help you compare your current bagging rate with the anticipated rate you should be able to achieve with one of our machines if we know what type of bag you are using and what is going in the bag.
2. We do a lot of short runs and change bag sizes often. How long does it take to adjust the machine for a new bag?
Generally, 5 minutes or less. We've had customers time it with a stopwatch. Viking Masek's premade pouch filling and sealing machines are very versatile. The first thing that the machine operator will change is the setting in the Human Machine Interface (HMI), the computer that runs the machine, to adjust the grip size on the bags. Next, the knobs on the guides that feed the bags into the machine are adjusted and new bags are loaded into the machine. Depending on the size difference between the first bag and the second bag, a third adjustment might be made to accommodate the length of the new bag. All these adjustments are tool-free. In fact, we have many customers who have found that changing over the machine is so quick and easy, it's worth automating even very short runs of 20 ' 100 bags because the machine is faster than bagging by hand, even when changeover time is added in.
3. Do we need to run bags through the machine during setup?
This is one of the biggest advantages of using premade pouches. When setting up a vertical form fill seal machine, roll stock must be run through the machine. This stock will not be reusable. When setting up a premade pouch machine, you will need to run bags through the machine during setup, but it is possible to do so without waste. In most cases, it is possible to run bags through the machine without sealing them. These bags can be placed back in the magazine and cycled through a second time.
Have more questions about pouch filling machines?
Get expert answers to ten top questions about premade pouch filling machines. Download our eBook: Top 10 Questions to Ask When Considering Premade Pouch Machinery.
For more Sausage Clipperinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.