Submitted by Thomas Pröller, meat-n-more on , Published in Archive
profitability deteriorates
The high price phase on the German egg market seems to be over for the time being. The supply, which has been tight for months, is approaching normal levels again. With demand barely increasing overall, prices are falling below the extraordinarily high level of the past year. The forthcoming Easter festival with its peak in demand is unlikely to change that. At the same time, laying hen farmers have to pay significantly higher feed prices than in the corresponding period of the previous year, so that profitability in egg production inevitably deteriorates. But it remains positive.
Submitted by Thomas Pröller, meat-n-more on , Published in Archive
Fruit additives are becoming less important
The quark consumption in German private households has changed little in recent years, but the preferences for certain types of supply have changed. Of the 362.000 (previous year: 361.000) tons of quark that ended up in consumers' shopping baskets in 2003, 221.000 tons were natural quark, more than five percent more than two years ago. In contrast, the volume of fruit quark purchased fell by a good four percent from 120.000 tons in 2001 to 115.000 tons in 2003.
In relation to the purchasing volume of the entire quark range, the proportion of natural quark increased from 2001 percent to 2003 percent in the years 57,5 to 61,1, while the proportion of fruit quark fell from 32,9 percent to 31,8 percent. Interest in savory quark is also declining. The purchasing volumes of German private households fell from 2001 to 2003 from 29.000 tons to 19.000 tons, the share of the total supply fell from 8,0 percent to 5,3 percent, according to market research data from ZMP and CMA based on the GfK household panel.
Submitted by Thomas Pröller, meat-n-more on , Published in Archive
Voted medicinal plant of the year 2004
The study group "Development History of Medicinal Herbs" at the Institute for the History of Medicine at the University of Würzburg chose peppermint as medicinal plant of the year 2004, after having chosen the artichoke last year.
Peppermint (Menthea piperita), a member of the mint family, produces an essential oil that is used to treat abdominal pain, discomfort and indigestion because of its ingredients menthol, methyl acetate and menthone. The leaves, processed as extracts in dragees and tablets, have an antispasmodic, flatulent and cholagogue effect. Peppermint is also said to have antibacterial, antiviral and calming effects.
The CMA Centrale Marketing-Gesellschaft der Deutschen Agrarwirtschaft mbH has developed new attractive advertising media so that the butcher trade, industry and trade can present their range of meat and meat products from the best side. Appealing motif posters and recipe brochures not only whet the appetite, but also provide factual information on the subject of meat and the correct use of cuts.
The new advertising media cover the whole variety that meat has to offer. 16 different motif posters for every type of meat awaken the desire to enjoy – whether it's beef rump steaks, roast pork with crust, veal medallions or lamb chops. Other motifs show the variety of uses for minced meat and sausage. Together with the detailed recipe books, they always offer new suggestions for delicious dishes. Festivals, barbecue season or other special occasions are always welcome occasions for unusual promotions. The campaign posters of the CMA help to draw attention to the varied offer on these occasions. Where does the beef have the ball? Where is the ham in the pig? Which delicious dishes can be prepared from veal or lamb? The new section posters provide the answers. They illustrate where which parts of beef, pork, veal and lamb are. They also explain which dishes can best be prepared from the respective pieces. In addition, the CMA continues to offer the popular white papers on issues related to a balanced meat diet. These deal with topics such as minerals or a fat and cholesterol-conscious diet. Learning coloring books explain everything to do with meat and how sausage is made in a playful way.
Submitted by Thomas Pröller, meat-n-more on , Published in Archive
Storage pests: prevent and combat
Crawling or flying guests in the pantry are booming again, especially as the season gets warmer. The animals usually get into the house with the shopping basket. The dried fruit moth is most commonly found in our pantries. But flour, grain and storage moths also feel at home in our kitchens. The invaders contaminate the food with droppings, threads or remains of skin. Such residues can cause skin irritation and diseases, allergies, conjunctivitis and intestinal diseases. In addition, the animals can transmit microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, viruses or worms to the food and thus cause diseases. The aid info service, Bonn, points out that infected food must therefore no longer be eaten.
Storage pests are usually difficult to detect. In fitted kitchens in particular, they can easily hide behind cupboards and in cracks. Eating marks on corners and edges of packaging can be an indication. When opening food packaging, the animals usually hide in a flash. There are often residues of moulting, spun pupae or caterpillars in stock. To check, the food can also be sieved or poured out on a light background. In any case, the infested food must be taken out of the house quickly. It is even better to kill the animals first. For this purpose, the infested food is treated in the oven at 80 °C for about 10 minutes. Then the pantry and especially cracks and holes must be thoroughly cleaned. The aid info service gives the following tips for preventing pest infestation:
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The slaughter cattle market in February
On average in February, the local slaughterhouses had only just an adequate supply of slaughter cattle. For young bulls in particular, the slaughterhouses therefore raised the payout prices sharply in the first half of the month in order to obtain the required numbers; From the middle of the month, however, they were hardly willing to grant further price premiums. Domestic demand for beef showed no impulses, so that the higher purchase prices could not be passed on to the downstream trade levels. Farmers also earned more money on a monthly average for slaughter cows, but the premiums were not as significant as with young bulls.
In February, producers received an average of EUR 3 per kilogram slaughter weight for young bulls in the meat trading class R2,50; that was eleven cents more than in January, but still 25 cents less than twelve months ago. For class R3 heifers, the average price rose by two cents to EUR 2,28 per kilogram, which is three cents short of the previous year's level. Compared to January, the proceeds for slaughter cows in the O3 category have also increased, namely by six cents to 1,58 euros per kilogram; the farmers received 16 cents less than in February 2003.
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In 2003, however, slightly less turkey meat was produced
According to the now complete figures from the Federal Statistical Office, the total amount of poultry meat slaughtered last year rose by 8,5 percent to 927.840 tons. That was the highest production in Germany since reporting began.
Chicken production in particular increased significantly, by 17 percent to around 493.240 tons. Chickens accounted for a good 53 percent of the poultry produced in this country. The increase in the broiler sector was partly due to the fact that exports of ready-to-slaughter broilers to the Netherlands had at times completely collapsed in connection with the avian influenza and then did not return to the previous level.
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Referring to the announcement of the Federal Association of Food Inspectors, which complained about too few inspection staff and stated that on average only 59 percent of the food establishments are inspected annually, the Minister for Food, Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Dr. Till Backhaus (SPD) states that the controls in food companies in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania cover more than 80 percent of the registered companies every year.
Controls would be carried out depending on the particular risk that an establishment poses to the consumer; On average, this is two controls per control object and year. In 2002, an average of 82,6 percent of all farms were inspected at least once. "This means that not only the generally binding control specifications are adhered to. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is one of the top three in terms of control intensity compared to the rest of Germany," summed up Minister Backhaus.
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quality of controls is crucial
The spokesman for the Ministry for the Environment and Forestry, Wolfgang Raber, described the statements made by the chairman of the Federal Association of Food Inspectors as "unhelpful". "A purely statistical comparison of the companies visited says nothing about the actual status of the food controls."
The number and type of companies examined differs from state to state. In Rhineland-Palatinate, for example, the competent authorities of the municipal administrations are obliged to regularly inspect the companies in all sectors that are affected by the Food and Consumer Goods Act. These businesses include not only stationary but also mobile facilities such as sales vehicles or sales stands that are only operated temporarily, snack and drink stands or similar facilities at major events, fairs, weekly markets and other public events.
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Following confirmation of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in British Columbia, Canada, the European Commission has adopted Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne's proposal to restrict imports of live poultry, poultry meat and products, eggs and pet birds from Canada into to suspend the European Union from now until April 6th. Avian influenza is a highly contagious disease in poultry that causes serious economic damage to the poultry industry and, in exceptional cases, can also be transmitted to humans.
On March 9, Canadian authorities confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a poultry herd in British Columbia (Frazer Valley). The virus strain discovered is not identical to the virus strain currently causing the avian influenza epidemic in Asia and is likely to pose less of a public health threat than the Asian virus strain.
