Production pre-blend corrector procedures, coupled with multi-product formulation for purchasing, give superior control of raw material flows. They also result in superior finished product uniformity and increased production efficiency.
When pre-blending is used in production, special procedures are necessary in the least-cost formulation system to generate pre-blend and correction reports, and to maintain optimum costs in the face of analysis variations.
Since the 1960s, the computer formulation of sausage blends has become widespread in the meat industry.
Initially, single product formulation on a product-by-product basis was used to control raw material costs and ensure product quality. As users became more sophisticated and the industry became more competitive, a multi-product formulation was introduced to provide purchase planning and inventory control over principal product lines.
Pre-blending has become widely used as a means of streamlining production, and more accurately controlling production variations.
Consequently, modern computer formulation systems must include pre-blend and correction features to help sausage-makers take advantage of these techniques.
Common problems
Modern production is plagued by several common problems in the manufacturing of sausage:
-- Fat and water binding-Insufficient time is allowed for salt-soluble protein extraction before fat meats and water are added, reducing the bind capability.
-- Raw material variations-Individual raw material analyses vary by about plus or minus 5 percent in fat and moisture from lot to lot, causing similar swings in finished product analyses, particularly in small batches.
-- Production scheduling-Since each finished product batch is prepared from materials on hand at a particular time, material flow becomes complex. It is difficult to have the right meats and equipment available at the right time.
-- Production efficiency-Small batches and common use of equipment for different purposes impair efficient utilization of resources.
-- Extensive product line-Manufacturing of many individual finished products, each with its own formula and special instructions, causes confusion and inefficiencies in the sausage kitchen.
Pre-blending and correction systems have evolved as a means to help sausage-makers in several problem areas of production and quality control.
Formulation procedures
A typical sequence of events in the purchasing-production cycle is:
-- Tuesday-Conduct sales meeting to determine next week's production requirements.
-- Wednesday-Get availabilities and prices. Standard products, cut-and-kill and bonding are estimated and accounted for.
-- Thursday-Procurement starts, as does bill-of-materials purchasing, resulting from the multi-product formulation.
-- Friday-Updated deliveries, price and volumes are used in rerunning the next week's multi-product formulation. Based on the formulation, pre-blend formulas are prepared for use next week.
-- Next week-Make pre-blends by formula. Correct to finished product on a batch-by-batch basis. Adjust pre-blend formulas for abnormal events.
The general principle in formulating a pre-blend is to arrive at a recipe which will bring pre-blend correction steps back into accord with the overall least-cost solution if the pre-blend is at its target analysis, and minimizing the cost to correct when the pre-blend is off its target analysis. The Least Cost Formulator System uses the following procedure to accomplish this purpose:
-- Set up pre-blend product specifications as outlined.
-- Identify meats offered to finished product which are suitable for corrector meats. Exclude cheek, head and shank meat and offal.
-- Inform the formulation system which meats must be used in total in the pre-blend, which can be used as a corrector, and which ingredients must not be used in the pre-blend.
-- Set up a basic corrector specification. This includes added ingredients and product requirements on fat and added water.
Correcting to
finished product
These procedures should be followed:
-- Run corrector formulation based on pre-blend laboratory analysis.
-- Mix in chopper or blender; the pre-blend (fixed at 80 percent to 85 percent of finished weight), lean and fat corrector meats, and remaining cure. Work in water, spices and other ingredients and rework (use less than 5 percent in quality products).
-- Chop or run through emulsifier.
-- Stuff.
This report is an edited portion of a presentation given by Robert LaBudde and George Selfridge Jr. of Least Cost Formulations Ltd. during an Iowa State University processed meats short course.