All throughout human history, people have attempted to make meat durable. Sausage arose from these efforts. Its manufacture also permitted the effective exploitation of the by-products of slaughtering, such as blood and innards. Ever since antiquity, sausage has therefore been a fixed component of our diet. Refined over the millennia and characterized by typical national tastes, sausage products not only lead the list of favorite foods of many nations: they are also frequently among the valuable cultural assets of certain regions. The situation is similar with poultry, which is likewise rooted in the traditions of many countries.
One only has to think of the British stuffed turkey roast on the first day of Christmas.
Most people today are in the fortunate position to be able to select from an opulent availability of meat according to their heart’s desire – and can afford it. In the Middle Ages, however, meat was a privilege of the rich. Since meat at that time could not be cooled, it was preserved by being heavily salted and spiced with herbs. In the Western world meat can be bought at all times and everywhere, and it is furthermore easy to transport and store. It also tastes good, even though it has usually had a long trip behind it before reaching your table. Apart from correct animal husbandry, feeding, and satisfactory slaughter, the prerequisite for safe and good meat is an uninterrupted cooling or freezing process. Temperature control at the beginning of the process requires special attention. For example, if the meat is cooled down too rapidly to below 10 °C / 50 °F, it leads to muscle shrinkage, which makes the meat tough and leads to water loss. This “cold shortening” can be prevented if the meat is stored about 16 to 24 hours at about 16 °C / 60.8 °F . The later freezing process also has considerable influence on meat quality: the faster that freezing plants reach the low temperatures, the less impairment of the meat’s water-binding capacity.
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Using GEA Refrigeration Technologies cooling and freezing plants, you can be certain that the meat not only tastes good. Our systems satisfy all hygienic standards and facilitate the construction of a functional cold chain. The investment in proper cooling management ultimately pays for itself, both for your company as well as the environment. |
Whether the subject is cooling and storage of fresh meat or cooling and freezing methods for further food processing, our profession requires considerable specialized know-how as well as great sensitivity and precision. With extreme care, prudence, and a love for detail, our engineers work out the suitable refrigeration technology for every kind of meat and poultry. GEA Refrigeration Technologies simply makes the best of your products.
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