Source: Proceedings XVIth European Symposium on the Quality of Poultry Meat & Xth European Symposium on the Quality of Eggs and Egg Products, Saint-Brieuc, France (2003), 54-59.

The technological properties of the starting product play an important role in the further processing of turkey breast meat into various products. Their early detection based on suitable characteristics is of interest to producers. For example, in the production of cooked ham, the yield rate of the product as a function of the water retention capacity represents an economic factor.

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Salmonella infections or salmonellosis outbreaks are often caused by contaminated food. Therefore, testing food for salmonella is one of the most important prophylactic measures to avoid human salmonellosis.

The "gold standard" for detection of Salmonella in food, based on conventional culture methodology, is very time consuming and labor intensive. It takes 3 to 5 working days to get results. Thus, there is great interest in the development of fast, sensitive and specific detection methods. Previous studies described a technique in which the 23S ribosomal subunit of Salmonella was detected in tissues by in situ hybridization using fluorescence-labeled gene probes.

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Status survey to collect data on animal welfare-related control parameters in slaughterhouses in North Rhine-Westphalia

Source: www.lej.nrw.de/service/pdf/projektbericht_schlachtschweinen.pdf (publication 2003 - 85 pages)

Employees of the State Office for Food Economics and Hunting in North Rhine-Westphalia recorded the general operational structure of these operations in a total of ten pig slaughterhouses and collected data on compliance with animal welfare parameters, technical parameters of the stunning systems and the resulting meat quality. When selecting the slaughterhouses, the various stunning methods for pigs and the number of slaughterings in the five administrative districts were taken into account. Four slaughterhouses were examined in the administrative district of Münster, but only one in the administrative district of Cologne. Data collection should be standardized through the use of a data collection sheet. This checklist can be found in the appendix to the project report. The authors of the project report do not indicate whether the slaughterhouse inspections were announced or unannounced. The period in which the inspections were carried out is also not mentioned. However, it can be assumed that the inspections took place before April 1, 2001, since in two of the farms examined electrical stunning was still carried out manually using tongs without the animals being restrained. The slaughter performance in the examined farms was at least 100 and at most 800 pigs per hour. Slaughtering took place on six slaughtering days on one farm, on five days/week on five farms, on four days/week on three farms and on three days/week on one farm.

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Comparison of two different stunning devices

Source: Meat Science 64 (2003), 351-355.

PSE is still a problem in pork production. M. FRANCK et al. (Effect of stunning conditions on occurrence of PSE defects in ham of rn+/RN - pigs) deal with the production of cooked ham and point out that in France around 15-20% of the raw goods delivered for this purpose are still affected by PSE. This results in difficulties in terms of processing and marketing (color, formation of pores and cracks), which represent economic risks and losses. In their work, they show the influence of different CO2 stunning systems (and the associated different stress levels) on the PSE frequency of meat from genetically uniform pigs.

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With an overview of the 2004 cases up to 22.03.

BSE was found in a six-year-old cow from the Höxter district. This was confirmed today by the Federal Research Center for Viral Diseases in Animals. The cow not intended for meat consumption was euthanized on March 12, 2004 because of clinical symptoms and comes from a herd with a total of six animals. After the rapid test has been confirmed, another animal - a male descendant of the BSE-infected cow - is killed as a precaution. This means that eleven BSE cases have occurred in North Rhine-Westphalia since 2001. BSE was found nationwide in 303 cattle. So far, most animals have tested positive for BSE in Bavaria (116) and Lower Saxony (54).

Consumer Protection Minister Bärbel Höhn: "The ban on animal meal, the removal and destruction of risk material from the food chain and the obligation to test all cattle over 24 months for BSE currently offer consumers the greatest possible protection against BSE. Every new BSE case shows how important the combination of these measures is. NRW accounts for around ten percent of the cattle population in Germany, but we only account for around three percent of BSE cases."

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Suspension of US poultry imports extended following outbreak of avian influenza

The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health today approved the Commission's proposal to extend the import ban on live poultry, poultry meat and poultry meat products, eggs and pet birds from the US until 23 April. These import restrictions were imposed following confirmation of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in that country. Due to the current epidemic situation and the available information, the protective measures cannot be limited to a limited area at the moment. The situation will be reviewed at the committee meeting scheduled for March 30th. The avian influenza situation in Canada will also be reviewed at this meeting.

On February 23, the United States confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the state of Texas. In order to protect European poultry populations and to prevent the disease from being introduced into the EU, the European Commission immediately decided to ban imports of live poultry, ratites, game birds and farmed game birds, fresh meat, meat products, eggs for hatching and eggs for human consumption and birds other than to release poultry (pet birds) from across the US (see IP/04/257).

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Imports increased significantly

According to preliminary data from the Federal Statistical Office on proven foreign trade in Germany, imports of live animals and meat in 2003 rose significantly in comparison to the previous year. In the case of exports, on the other hand, no uniform trends were discernible.

Imports of live animals and meat in the 2003 calendar year increased in most product groups, some of which were significant. The year-on-year comparison shows similar tendencies as in the half-year comparison, although the growth rates were no longer as high as in the first six months.

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Growing share in the range of milk drinks

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TV cooking show now from the kitchens of the fans

“The Last Judgment” now shows cooking tips and tricks from home. The moderator of the TV cooking show Tobi Schlegl and his team have left the Cologne studio to swing the wooden spoon. Tobi Schlegl is now visiting fans at home with professional chef Michael Schlemmer and a prominent guest from the music, film and sports scene to create delicious dishes together. "The Last Judgment" is a cooperation between the CMA Centrale Marketing-Gesellschaft der Deutschen Agrarwirtschaft mbH and VIVA. The show has been running successfully on the music channel since January 2003, recently in a new slot. The first broadcast is every Monday from 19.30:20.00 p.m. to 9.00:12.00 p.m. The reruns can be seen on Saturdays at XNUMXam and on Sundays at XNUMXpm.

Anyone who would like to be a host for the VIVA team can easily apply on the website www.dasjuengstegericht.tv. Brief information about yourself and the kitchen equipment is enough to perhaps soon welcome the entire cooking crew and become the main actor at the Last Judgment. In addition to the hustle and bustle in the kitchen, a delicious meal is guaranteed. In addition, you will soon be able to show off your newly acquired cooking skills at one or the other opportunity.

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New edition of "Eat right - live healthier" published

The refrigerator is probably one of the most ingenious inventions of the 19th century and has had the most lasting influence on people's eating habits. But hardly anyone really knows how to keep food fresh for a long time in the refrigerator. It is precisely this point with regard to the quality and the vitamin and nutrient content that is important. In the current issue of "Eat right - live healthier", the qualified oecotrophologist Monika Radke summarizes what is important when storing the individual food groups in the refrigerator. Her article “Using the refrigerator correctly” also gives tips on storage times and so-called multi-zone refrigerators.

What can happen when food is stored incorrectly, and what health hazards this can result for people, discusses qualified oecotrophologist Karin Kreuel in the article "Mold in food - which one can you eat?" In mold-ripened cheese or for preservation and aroma development in salami and ham varieties, mold is definitely desirable and harmless. Food that has become moldy, on the other hand, is infested with so-called mycotoxins, harmful toxins, and should be disposed of.

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In 2003 the food industry recovered from the downturn of the previous year and achieved a trend reversal. Industry sales rose by a nominal 2,2% to EUR 127,9 billion.

The food industry received the most important economic stimulus from abroad. The exports rose to a total turnover of 26,4 billion euros. This corresponds to an increase of 6,7%. The industry was able to increase its export share of total sales to 20,7%. Above all, the intensification of the exchange of goods with the EU member states played an important role.

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