Meat&Poultry - April 2011 - 60

CARGILL STERLING SILVER

Cargill’s processing lines feature a combination of technologies including: • A caustic wash is used on the exterior of the hide as it moves through the hide-on carcass wash (HOCW), followed by a bromine rise, with the goal of removing bacteria that potentially pose human health risks; • VerifEYE, a technology that uses ultra-violet light to detect the

presence of microscopic traces of organic contamination that might harbor bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella and other pathogens on carcasses; • Steam pasteurization; • Hot water wash treatments use heat to kill pathogens that may be present on the surface of the meat; • Bromine and lactic acid washes; • Product sampling and testing.

Specific processes and technologies in each plant are tailored to differences in animal stock, geography and plant configurations. All are designed to reduce food-safety risks. Cargill shares its findings with other processing companies to advance food-safety performance throughout the industry, Worpel says. Schuyler’s Food-Safety Room houses video technology to monitor

Setting the bar – Sterling Silver pork requires superior hogs, pioneering processes
Launched in 2000, Sterling Silver highly marbled and enhanced pork products leave Cargill plants in refrigerated form. Approximately 50 whole pork muscle cuts for retail and foodservice are offered. Pork plants producing these products are located in Ottumwa, Iowa, and Beardstown, Ill. “Under this brand, we also have processed items, such as two flavors of bacon, spiral hams and pre-cooked and sauced baby back ribs,” says Matt Novitzke, associate brand manager, who is responsible for managing the pork portion of the brand. Only the top 15 percent of hogs sourced from Midwest farms qualify to be sold under the brand as highly marbled or enhanced pork. This line of highly marbled pork features 50 percent more marbling than ordinary pork, which enhances flavor. As the marbling melts into the pork while it cooks, it builds more flavor, tenderness and juiciness for a rich taste. Sterling Silver highly marbled pork is 100 percent all-natural with no added hormones, preservatives, fillers or additives. This gives chefs and culinary experts more control over their recipes without the risk of additives impacting the flavor. The pork line is available in a full range of traditional cuts, which are trimmed to 1/8” maximum or less. The enhanced line is guaranteed to be 36 percent more tender than regular pork. All Sterling Silver pork is hand-selected to ensure consistent color, tenderness and juiciness. The highly marbled line adds hand-selection of marbling with certified marble graders, similar to beef grading. Proprietary marinade, applied through a high-quality enhancement technology, locks in moisture and sustains color brightness, which ensures tender, juicy results. Nine out of 10 consumers prefer the taste of enhanced pork to that of ordinary pork, Cargill consumer research reveals. Sterling Silver pork products lead the industry in several areas developed to limit pH decline, which helps enhance the meat’s color, tenderness and juiciness. Car60 • Meat&Poultry • April 2011 • www.MeatPoultry.com

gill limits this decline through three steps: humane animal handling, CO2 stun technology and blast chilling. Calm animals produce a more tender, delicious pork product. Cargill’s humane animal handling procedures minimize animal stress to maintain high quality. Cargill adheres to the animal-handling standards set by the American Meat Institute Foundation, the Humane Slaughter Act and animal handling expert Dr. Temple Grandin. All processes are monitored and audited by federal inspectors, Cargill staff and third-party assessors, as well as through video auditing at both pork production facilities. All plant personnel are Learning and Assessment Management System-certified and receive more than 80 hours of animal-welfare training. Cargill was one of the fi rst major US pork processors to begin using CO2 stun technology. Only 50 percent of the industry’s processors currently use this more humane method, which minimizes animal stress and slows the decline of pH, resulting in more tender, juicy pork products. Finally, blast chilling, which is performed early in the harvesting process and of which Cargill Pork is also a pioneer, enhances product tenderness and preserves the meat’s flavor and color. “Sterling Silver beef and pork is the best brand Cargill has to offer and the best brand in the industry,” says Ozlem Worpel, Sterling Silver beef brand manager. “Sterling Silver Premium meats is truly the sum of its parts – a distinctive brand that meets the highest standards for quality and consistency, that demands the highest levels of accountability in its processes, and that settles for nothing less than fi rst-class support of its exclusive list of customers. “We’re excited and passionate about offering this premium brand. Despite the world economy, this brand is still growing year after year...that’s exciting,” she concludes. ■

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Meat&Poultry - April 2011

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