Meat + Poultry - December 2008 - 60

SEABOARD

answers, "We have experimented with
vision systems, but we don't have any in
use. We found from a reliability and accuracy standpoint, people are still the best
[way to accurately and expertly cut meat].
However, we continue to investigate new
technologies and automation."
The plant also uses a new process
for one of its new products branded
PrairieFresh Prime.
"We take lean pork protein and fat
and infuse it into pork-loin products,"
Hast explains. "It adds more flavor and
juiciness to the products. The industry
has gone from having heavily-marbled
product years ago to much leaner genetics. With lean hogs, you sometimes
have pork that can be dry and tough if
not cooked properly."
Seaboard Foods is always looking
for new technologies and ways to enhance its products for customers, Hast
says. "One example is a new addition
to our PrairieFresh Prime products,"
he adds. "We came up with a unique
'PrairieFresh Prime' pork loin back-rib
product in a simple cook-in-the-bag
package, making it easy for consumers
to have a great eating experience with
little preparation. In the bag, the back
ribs cook in one hour."

Quality Circle
The Seaboard Foods Quality Circle includes 11 quality control points: Top-ofthe-line genetics, multi-site pork production, proprietary nutrition, residue-free
pork, animal handling, state-of-the-art
processing, food safety, product packaging, employee training, customer service
and consumer-driven products.
"We try to provide our customers
with the best-quality product with the
highest food-safety assurances we can,"
Hast says of the Quality Circle.
Seaboard Foods' Quality Circle control points are also USDA Process Verified, which includes meat quality, source
verification and animal handling. The
company continuously evaluates its
pork products for meat quality attributes. A proprietary plant process improves meat quality attributes like color,
texture and moisture-holding capacity.
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December 2008

Guymon processing plant-at-a-glance
* Approximately 2,000 production and 300 management/
management support employees located at the facility.
* Daily slaughter capacity of 19,000 per day/two shifts.
* The plant uses a proprietary Snap Chill process, subjecting
carcasses to extremely cold temperatures and high-velocity
air movement before they're sent to the cut and conversion
processing floor. The Snap Chill process induces crust freezing
and is USDA Process Verified for improved meat quality.
* The fabrication floor produces all of the traditional bone-in and
boneless products, however, Seaboard places "significant" focus
on raw material quality, worksmanship and food safety.
* Seaboard is USDA Process Verified
- Meat quality
- Source verification
- Animal handling
* Seaboard is one of the leading pork exporters in the U.S.
* The plant has the capability to convert loins, hams,
butts and ribs.
* Seaboard produces both natural and enhanced products including
brine enhanced and their new PrairieFresh Prime line.
* Rendering capabilities include both edible and inedible rendering.
* Onsite freezer storage capacity of approximately
6 million pounds.
* Onsite fresh box storage capacity of approximately
2 million pounds.
* Wastewater treatment system that utilizes biogas generated from
anaerobic lagoons to process internally - part of Seaboard's
sustainability initiative.
* Bottom line: Significant focus on food safety and quality
products. The facility has multiple processes in place to inhibit
microbial growth, enhance shelf life and ensure specification
compliance to provide safe, quality products to customers.

Live-side facts
Since Seaboard Foods is vertically integrated, it maintains strict control
of its live production system. The company raises animals on farms
located in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and Kansas. Segregated production optimizes management, health and nutrition control. Complete bio-security protects pigs from disease transmission, eliminating
the need for widespread antibiotic use. Seaboard Foods' sow farms
specialize in breeding, gestation, farrowing and employee administrative functions. They are linked to a computer network for round-theclock monitoring of building security and environment. In the breeding barns, Seaboard Foods uses 100 percent artificial insemination
and proprietary genetics are selected for meat quality.
The stockyards area employs 25 people responsible for unloading
more than 100 trucks (22,000 head) daily. Employees trained in humane animal handling unload trucks. The animals are marked for lot
identification by placement of a tattoo to distinguish farm or producer. Hogs rest at least two hours in holding areas before processing to
reduce stress and improve meat quality.
www.MEATPOULTRY.com

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Meat + Poultry - December 2008

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