• Mechanically deboned poultry meat discussed
By JOYCE BUPP
Staff correspondent
STATE COLLEGE -
Media representatives got
the chance Tuesday to view
first-hand some of the ag
related research underway
at the Pennsylvania State
University. Hosts for the
College of Agriculture’s
“News Day’’ were
respresentatives of the
administration and
educational staff.
Program planners in
corporated a variety of study
programs in the in
formational seminar, in
cluding plant and foods
research, human obesity,
home foods processing, and
energy conservation for
greehouses.
Methods and regulatory
aspects of mechanically
deboned meat was the
subject of the lead-off
presentation by Morns
Mast, associate professor of
food science and Extension
food scientist. Mast
specializes m poultry and
egg studies and has con
ducted in-depth research on
the properties and preser
vation of poultry and
mechanically deboned
poultry meat.
Mechanically deboned
poultry meat (MDPM) has
been used in the foods
processing industry for
about 15 years. Present meat
packaging laws allow up to
15 per cent of the product to
be used in the contents of
frankfurters and there are
all-poultry types of the
frankfurter as well. Other
common uses of the deboned
poultry meat might include
rolls, soups, salads and
similar prepared, processed
foods.
About 200 million pounds
of meat was made available
to the food industry last year
from the MDPM utilization
of turkey frames, poultry
backs and necks and entire
carcasses of spent fowl. This
material is augured into an
automatic deboner where
the meat and bone is finely
chopped and then passed
through a separator. The
soft tissue materials are
forced through a screen or
seiving process, usually
under high pressure,
separating them from the
hard bone, dssue, and gristle
portions.
The meat product is then
rapidly cooled and processed
or quick frozen within hours.
Researchers have en
countered a few problems
with the deboned poultry
products. Rancidity from
incorporated fat particles
may develop if stored for
long periods of time without
freezing. Methods of heating
to destroy rancidity-causing
bacteria have been tried, but
some functional proteins are
Morris Mast
denatured from the treat
ment. Improved chilling
methods are also coming
under expanded research.
Under present regulations
governing MDPM, the per
cent of bone solids in the
finished product must be
below one per cent. In 1976,
the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture
proposed that the minimum
protein content for raw
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 6,1978
chicken meat and raw
turkey meat be 15 and 16 per
cent respectively. Proposed
maximum fat content is 30
per cent. Final nutritive
value requirements have not
yet been issued.
Only a small percentage of
the MDPM now being
produced ' contains the
proposed minimum protem
content. Therefore, the
poultry foods industry has
requested that USDA
standards be set at 11 per
cent minimum protein for
raw chicken meat and 12 per
cent for raw turkey meat.
Industry recommendations
would also lower the
maximum fat level to 26 per
cent.
At the root of the
mechanical deboning
popularity is dollar-figure
4-H communications
winners announced
READING - The Berks
County 4-H clubs met
recently at the Berks County
Agriculture Center in
Leesport for their annual 4-H
Communication Day. The
ecommics. Success with the
poultry product has now sent
red meat packagers into
study programs for the
utilization of other meat by
products
By processing materials
that formerly could only be
used in production of pel
foods or fertilizers, the
poultry foods industry can
obtain carcass yields of up to
75 per cent of edible bone
free meat with a high quality
protein content.
As the shelf life and tast
acceptability of MDPM
products are improved by
research and consumer
exposure, demand for this
potential one billion pounds
of additional protein in the
food chain will take its place
in the eating habits of the
American public.
event featured demon
strations, speeches,
photographs, and posters
presented for competition by
4-ffers from throughout the
county.
The demonstration contest
featured subjects ranging
from cleaning horses to the
developing of photographs
and much more. Junior
division contest winners
were: Mike Miller of
Southeastern Berks County
Horse and Pony 4-H Club,
and Michelle Swavely of the
Hereford Horse and Pony
Club.
These 4-Hers will continue
their competition at the
Annual Regional
Southeastern 4-H day in July
to be held at the Mon
tgomery County 4-H Center
inLansdale.
Three senior demon
strators, Larry Stratton,
Kutztown 4-H Club, Barbara
Schroeder, Kutztown 4-H
Club, and Danielle Yoder,
Tilden 4-H Club, will present
their winning demon
strations at statewide
competition at the annual
Pennsylvania 4-H
Achievement Day at the
Pennsylvania State
University, State College, in
August.
The public speaking
contest was highlignted by
two 4-Hers; Wendy Shaw,
Eastern Berks Dairy 4-H
Club, and Steve Imes. An
tietam Hoofbeats 4-H Club,
who gave winning speeches
dealing with American
agriculture. The two 4-Hers
will also compete at Penn
State University in August.
The photography contest
was won by Larry Stratton,
Kutztown 4-H Club Jeff
Bucks, also of the Kutztown
4-H Club captured first place
in the poster contest. Both
winners will enter their
projects in statewide
competition. The event was
planned and run by the
Berks County Cooperative
Extension Service in con
junction with a 4-H planning
committee.
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