Latest News July 2011 New Premises, Greater Capability

We have a new home - a purpose designed building with extended meat science laboratory, sensory panel testing facilities and a large electrical development workshop – in the Aotearoa Park industrial area adjacent to the former Aotearoa Meat plant near Cambridge.

Capabilities Unique electronics platform

Although these electrical technologies are not new we have developed a unique electronics platform that makes them far safer and more effective in more situations.

Our research has identified precisely how electrical inputs interact with other aspects of carcass processing and affect the quality of the final product. We can now configure the operation of each piece of equipment to meet specific commercial requirements for:

  • Greater processing efficiency
  • Meeting market requirements
  • Better product quality and consistency
  • Improved profitability
These new technologies are now used widely in New Zealand and other parts of the world.
Capabilities
Areas of Expertise We have a unique portfolio of knowledge and experience that includes:

Slaughter processes

  • Electrical stunning
 
  • Carcass immobilisation
 
  • Accelerated bleeding
 
  • Electrical stimulation

Meat processing

  • Dressing
 
  • Chilling

Meat quality

  • pH
 
  • Colour
 
  • Storage life, shelf life
 
  • Texture
 
  • Tenderness
 
  • Appearance
 
  • Purge losses
 
  • Quality modelling - predicting the effects of altering processing parameters on meat quality

Sensory analysis

  • Odours
 
  • Flavours
 
  • Colour
 
  • Texture
 
  • Tenderness

Process Optimisation

  • Determining the most cost effective and efficient solutions for applications in meat processing

Animal welfare

  • Animal behaviour and stress as it relates to humane slaughter

Meat science

  • Physiology of muscle
 
  • Biochemistry using techniques such as e-page, gel electrophoresis, and western blots