The booming of meat processing

Text and Photos by Henrylito D. Tacio

Before God created the first man and woman, He provided them with food first.  “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.  They will be yours for food.  And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground — everything that has the breath of life in it — I give them to you for food.” (Genesis 1:29-30).
Humans, who are omnivorous, do not live by vegetables and fruits alone; they also need meat, the animal flesh.  During the prehistoric times, men have hunted and killed animals for meat. The advent of civilization allowed the domestication of animals such as chickens, sheep, pigs and cattle, and eventually their use in meat production on an industrial scale.
In time, meat processing became an industry in itself.  “Meat was originally processed to preserve it, but since the various procedures cause so many changes in texture and flavor it is also a means of adding variety to the diet,” explains a document published by the UN Food and Agriculture (FAO). “Processing also provides scope to mix the less desirable parts of the carcass with lean meat and in addition is a means of extending meat supplies by including other foodstuffs such as cereal in the product.”
Processing is done because “meat is a highly perishable products and soon becomes unfit to eat and possibly dangerous to health through microbial growth, chemical change and breakdown by endogenous enzymes.”
There are several things to lessen these downsides.  These can be done by reducing the temperature sufficiently to slow down or inhibit the growth of micro-organisms, by heating to destroy organisms and enzymes (cooking, canning), or by removal of water by drying or osmotic control (binding the water with salt or other substances so that it becomes unavailable to the organisms). It is also possible to use chemicals to inhibit growth and, very recently, ionising radiation (however, the last is not allowed in some countries).
Traditional methods that have been used for thousands of years involve drying in wind and sun, salting and smoking. Canning dates from early in the 19th century and allows food to be stored for many years since it is sterilized and protected from recontamination.
“Processed meats are products in which the properties of fresh meat have been modified by the use of procedures such as mincing, grinding or chopping, salting and curing, addition of seasonings and other food materials, and, in many instances heat treatment,” FAO points out. “Most of these processes extend the shelf life of meat. Their manufacture, in most instances, depends on the ability of the mixture to retain water since they are emulsions of protein, fat and water.”
“Meat processing in the country is a major business given Filipino’s appetite for meat products like luncheon meat, sausages, corned beef, tocino, bacon and ham,” wrote Rey Gamboa in his column which appeared in The Philippine Star.
In the Philippines, processed meat industry has six different product categories: fresh processed meat products, curedmeat pieces, raw-cooked products, pre-cooked products, raw (dry) – fermented sausages, and dried meat. The country’s major export products are sausages, corned beef, bacon, luncheon meat, and other indigenous meatproducts.
Not too many Filipinos know that our country is a net exporter of processed meat products. The industry generated US$ 47.3 million in exports in 2013 alone. Major export markets include the Middle East (United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait), Japan, the United States, Canada, Guam, and Taiwan.
In the first half of 2014, almost a million kilos of canned and processed meat, such as corned beef and hotdog, were exported to other countries, the Department of Agriculture reported.  Aside from producing P200 billion in sales turnover, the meat processing sector also “generated direct and derivative employment of about 100,000 jobs,” DA Secretary Proceso Alcala reported.
 
Safe for consumption
There are some news reports that some meats being sold in the market are not safe for consumption.  The government is not lax on this.  In a paper, “The Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines: Securing Meat and Meat Products’ Safety from Farm to Table,” authors Albert P. Aquino and Christian L. Abeleda wrote: “Protection and promotion of the right to health of the people (Section 15, Article II) and protection of consumers from trade malpractices from substandard or hazardous products (Section 9, Article XVI) are State’s obligations stipulated in the Philippine Constitution of 1987.”
So much so that in July 2003, the Republic Act No. 9296 was signed and ordained those who are implementing theMeat Inspection Code “to strengthen the country’s meat inspection system to assure safety and quality of meat andmeat products for human consumption both in the domestic and international markets.”
Under this law, it is the State’s policy to, among others, (a) promulgate specific policies and procedures governing the flow of food animals; (b) ensure food security and provide safety and quality standards to assure the protection of public against risks of injury and hazard; and (c) support the livestock and poultry industry development and promote animal health by preventing the entry of disease-carrying animals in meat establishments.
The Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines laid guidelines on the following area: institutional mechanisms, scope ofmeat inspection, ante- and post-mortem inspection, inspection of imported meat and meat products, sanitation, product quality and safety, product information and consumer awareness, fees and charges, and prohibited acts and sanctions. 
An attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, the National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS) serves as the national controlling authority on all matters pertaining to meat and meat product inspection and hygiene.
Among those that have to be inspected are slaughterhouses, poultry dressing plants, meat cutting plants, meatprocessing plants, cold storages, meat shops, meat markets and other outlets engaged in domestic and international trade.
“Only meat control and inspector officers duly appointed and designated by the NMIS or local government units are authorized to conduct meat inspection work,” Aquino and Abeleda wrote in their paper.  “NMIS has the responsibility to ensure, and to enforce, that meat establishments operate in accordance with humane slaughter and hygienic requirements.”
In addition, “the NMIS has the power to limit entry of carcasses, meat and meat products, and other materials into anymeat establishment. By rule, only slaughtered food animals, inspected and passed by inspectors from NMIS accredited slaughterhouses shall be utilized in NMIS accredited meat processing plant for meat processing, meat canning and packing.”
 
What’s in a meat?
So why do people eat meat?  Well, they provide some minerals and vitamins needed in order for humans to live.  For instance, all muscle tissue is very high in protein, containing all of the essential amino acids, and in most cases is a good source of zinc, vitamin B12, selenium, phosphorus, niacin, vitamin B6, choline, riboflavin and iron. Several forms of meat are also high in vitamin K. Muscle tissue is very low in carbohydrates and does not contain dietary fiber. While taste quality may vary between meats, the proteins, vitamins, and minerals available from meats are generally consistent.
By the way, the fat content of meat can vary widely depending on the species and breed of animal, the way in which the animal was raised, including what it was fed, the anatomical part of the body, and the methods of butchering and cooking.