Course:FNH200/2011w Team04 Chicken

Live Chicken

Canadian Chicken Processing

Introduction

The chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird. Humans keep chickens primarily as a source of food, consuming both their meat and their eggs.

In order for the general population to consume chicken as a food source, the chicken must undergo a number of processes that allow it to be derived into a variety of products that are safe to eat. In what follows, an overview about what is involved in these processes will be presented. Important topics include how chicken is harvested and stored, the quality standards required for chicken, the different products that can be derived from chicken, and the risks associated to chicken consumption along with the safety regulations imposed for chicken in order to keep consumers safe.

Free-Range Chicken vs Non Free-Range

Free Range Chicken

CAFO- confined animal feeding operation Hens are raised indoors, in cages. There have been concerns regarding animal welfare, environmental damage, and nutritional impacts due to this form of egg and chicken production. Hens raised in this fashion are confined to cages and do not have space to move or stretch which impacts their skeletal structure, causing a greater susceptibility to skeletal problems. These hens also demonstrate more fearful and erratic behavior. Air, water, and soil can all result from large numbers of animals living in a small space. Often times chickens raised in the same manner are injected with hormones to aide in the development of the most commonly demanded and popular portion of the chicken, the breast. Because such tender meat is produced in the region with no bones it is very commercially desirable and the easiest to cook for most people. Due to the overly developed breast as a result of the injected hormones, chickens often struggle to walk or move because of their disproportionate bodies. The chickens’ legs remain quite small in comparison to the breast and therefore cannot support the vast, unnatural weight of the breast. The chickens are then completely immobilized and may suffer broken legs if they try to mobilize. These chickens are also given feed that is made primarily of genetically engineered soy and corn. This feed also contains many antibiotics in order to ward off diseases, which result from many animals being confined in a small space. These antibiotics cause antibiotic-resistant pathogens. It is estimated that much greater amounts of antibiotics are used for livestock production than for the treatment of human disease in the United States. The massive use of antibiotics, especially when not treating one animal for one particular ailment greatly contributes to the antibiotic-resistant pathogen development. The cost of dealing with solely Salmonella is approximately 2.5 billion dollars per year, and about 88 percent is related to premature deaths. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations, free-range, egg-producing hens have access to the outdoors. Unfortunately, many farmers manage to give the hens a small, covered outdoor area and still have the benefits of being labeled “free-range”. These same farmers get away with feeding their hens genetically engineered soy and corn. Truly free-range eggs come from hens that freely access the outdoors. These free-range hens also have access to forage their natural diet, including, seeds, green plants, insects, and worms. The best way to find these eggs is at local farms where it is possible to view the living conditions of the livestock or at a farmers market where its possible to directly interact with the farmer caring for the hens producing these eggs. Free-range eggs are actually more nutritious as well. They have about 1/3 less cholesterol, 2/3 more vitamin A, 3 times more vitamin E, ¼ less saturated fat, 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids, and 7 times more beta carotene.

Storage

How and how long you store chicken is a crucial step to keeping your food safe.

Uncooked Chicken

- Chicken can be refrigerated (Refrigeration temperature between 1.1°C and approx 4.4°C) in its original packaging or in new packaging for up to 3 days.

Storing in the Refrigerator

Whole chicken: 2-3 days

Chicken pieces: 2-3 days

Ground chicken: 1-2 days

- Chicken can be frozen in airtight container for up to twelve months depending on the parts that are frozen before contamination may occur

Storing in the Freezer

Whole chicken: 12 months

Chicken pieces: 6 months

Ground chicken: 3 months

Cooked Chicken

Cooked chicken can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator

Storing in the Refrigerator

Cooked chicken : 3-4 days

- Cooked chicken can be stored in the freezer for up to four months in an airtight container

Storing in the Freezer

- Cooked chicken: 3 months

How to Preserve Chicken:

In order to preserve chicken, every piece of fresh meat should be washed with water in order to get rid of any waste material. Chicken can then be placed in airtight containers and placed in the freezer.

Canada Poultry Regulations and Grading

According to the Canadian Department of Justice, 3 Grades of Poultry exist: Canada A, Canada Utility, Canada C. The following indicates regulations specific towards chicken grading, with other regulations intended for other birds omitted. These regulations also extend to other animals including turkey, duck, or geese. These regulations are enforced by the Canada Food Inspection Agency.

Chicken Grading

Canada A

Grade A chicken is considered the highest grade and usually used for retailing. A chicken carcass is considered Canada Grade A if:

• No more than the wing tips and tail have been removed
• There are no deformities in the carcass with the exception of a slightly crooked keel bone which does not disrupt or interfere with the normal placement of the meat.
• The carcass is adequately plump breasted on both sides of the keel bone at the front with a noticeable tapering of flesh towards the posterior; the keel bone at the anterior end does not extend more than 3 mm beyond the flesh.
• Breast, thigh and back exhibit fat coverings.
• No prominent discolorations exceeding:
• an area of 1.6cm^2 in the aggregate on the breast
• an area of 6.5cm^2 in the aggregate elsewhere on the carcass

• If the carcass weighs less than 5.5kg, any tears on the skin of the breast should not have a tear of more than 6mm in length and any tears on the skin elsewhere should not be more than 2.5cm in length.
• If carcass weighs 5.5 kg or more, any tears on the skin of breast should not have a tear of more than 1.2 cm in length and any tears on the skin elsewhere on the carcass should not be more than 3.5cm in length.
• There should be no broken or dislocated bones.
• The carcass must not have more than 3cm of exposed flesh at the keel bone.

Canada Utility

A chicken carcass is regarded as Canada Utility if:

The carcass is not missing more than:

• one leg including thigh or both drumsticks
• the wings
• the tail

• The breast has sufficient fullness of flesh on both sides of the keel bone; the keel bone does not extend anymore more than 3mm beyond the flesh.
• Has at least a minimum fat cover to prevent the flesh from appearing prominently through the skin
• Has no noticeable discoloration exceeding:
• area of 6.5m2 in the aggregate on the breast and
• an area of 8cm2 in the aggregate elsewhere
• No dislocated bones apart from the wings or legs
• No broken bones

Canada C

A chicken carcass is considered Canada Grade C if:

•  The carcass is that of a mature chicken.
• The breast has adequate flesh on both sides of the keel bone so as to prevent falling away of the flesh from the anterior to the posterior end
• Keel bone does not extend greater than 5 mm beyond the flesh.
• There are no imminent discolourations more than an area of 14.5 cm2 overall.

Packaging and Labelling Requirements

List of poultry parts generally prepared in registered establishments

• Breasts from which bones/cartilage have been removed shall be described as "boneless breasts".
• Breasts from which bones/cartilage and "Breast fillets" have been removed shall be described as "boneless breast, fillet removed".
• The Livestock and Poultry Carcass Grading Regulations require giblets to be included with graded poultry carcasses unless otherwise stated on the label.
• The labels of cut-up whole carcasses that include the giblets must carry a statement to the effect that giblets are present.

Acceptable methods of labelling meat products in artificial casings

1. the printing of all mandatory requirements on the artificial casing;
2. an insert label with all mandatory information, provided the artificial casing is individually sealed; and
3. the establishment number printed directly on the casing and the mandatory information printed on a string tag label, wrap-around label or pressure-sensitive label.

Labelling of volume retail packaages

Generally consumer size containers weigh 5 kg or less. However, volume retail packages are acceptable provided that:

1. they have all mandatory information printed on the principal display panel, except that the product description and ingredient list, if applicable, may be stencilled, stamped or applied by means of a pressure-sensitive label; and
2. the unmarked inner packages are not intended for individual sale to consumers.

packaged chicken

Packaged Free Range Chicken

7.9	List of Poultry Parts
a	Trimmed Breasts
b	Breasts
c	Wishbones
d	Drumsticks
e	Wings
f	Wing Drumettes
g	Winglets (V Wings)
h	Backs
i	Stripped Backs
j	Necks
k	Halves
l	Front Quarters
m	Hindquarters
n	Breast Fillets

Species	Code
Chicken	CHK
Chicken capon	CHC
rock cornish	RCH
Mature Chicken	MCH

Processed Chicken Products and Derivatives

In Canada, poultry processing is one of the biggest sectors of agriculture as processing plants prepare about 25 000 chickens per hour for the market. Approximately 640 tonnes of chicken are processed annually. Chicken, as one of the most commonly consumed meats, has been processed into many different varieties of products. As demands for different food derivatives of chicken increase, chicken processors are also coming up with creative ways to present chicken for their devoted consumers. By 2002, chicken even made its way onto the breakfast table and the world’s first chicken bacon was created and introduced in New Zealand. There have since then been an increasing variety of chicken products ranging from chicken deli slices to chicken sausages. Here, a brief description of some of the most interesting and beloved chicken products that have been made available in Canada will be provided.

Chicken Bacon

Tegel’s Smoked Chicken Rashers

Chicken was first introduced to the breakfast menu in 2002. Tegul, a company in New Zealand, creatively turned chicken into thin chicken slices with the smokey flavor of bacon. As advertised, Tegel’s Smoked Chicken Rashers look and taste just like bacon, but provide the healthier nutritional qualities of lean chicken as they are claimed to be made with premium chicken and are 95% fat free. This popular re-invention of chicken was sold out nationwide just 10 days after it was introduced to the New Zealand market. Canada’s very own chicken product company Maple Lodge Farms quickly adopted the popular chicken product further advertising their product as hardwood smoked chicken bacon that has lower fat content and calories than regular bacon.

Maple Lodge Farms’ hardwood smoked chicken bacon

Other than providing an interesting alternative to regular bacon for every household’s breakfast menu, the introduction of chicken bacon also provides an alternative to bacon for people who don’t consume pork for health or religious reasons.

Chicken Kielbasa

Maple Lodge Farms’ Chicken Kielbasa

Kielbasa is an eastern European sausage that is commonly made with beef or pork. Maple Ridge Farms, as one of Canada’s biggest chicken processors, use chicken breast that is seasoned with a savory family recipe to serve as stuffing for sausage. The delicious chicken product acts as a healthier alternative to beef or pork sausage. Maple Lodge Farm’s chicken kielbasa claims to have 0 g of trans-fat, and is low in cholesterol. Additionally, the product is lactose free, making it an available choice for people who are lactose intolerant.

Chicken Wiener

Maple Lodge Farms’ Chicken Wiener

For hot dog lovers in Canada, Maple Lodge Farms produces a healthy alternative to beef or pork wieners by using grain-fed chicken that has not been exposed to any hormones as the meat choice. Consequently, chicken wieners have less fat content than beef or pork ones.

Chicken Rings

In 2006, Dwight Yoakam: Bakersfield Biscuits company made headlines in the strange news reports when they first introduced chicken rings in Peru . Chicken rings were derived from the concept of onion rings. Chicken breast is cut into ring shapes, covered with batter, and deep-fried to a golden crisp. The interesting new chicken derivative was popular once it hit the market. Internationally and in Canada, chicken rings were adopted in the slightly different format of chicken fingers by fast food chains such as Kentucky Fried Chicken. Maxi Canada Inc. also adapted chicken derivatives such as chicken fries and chicken rings.

Maxi Canada Inc.’s All Natural Chicken Breast Rings

Chicken Patty

Maxi Canada Inc.’s All Natural Chicken Patty

For homemade burgers, chicken patties are often a popular choice. Maxi Canada Inc. offers fully cooked, frozen chicken patties that are made with white meat. The chickens used have not been exposed to hormones, following the federal regulations regarding hormone use in poultry. The meat is made convenient as it is also microwaveable and is a smart choice nutrition-wise as it contains 400 g of Omega-3 per serving.

Risk Associated to Chicken Consumption and Safety Handling Procedures

Chicken handling, from the factory farming of livestock to the moment it is consumed, must follow certain safety procedures. This way consumer health risks can be kept to a minimum.

Foodborne Illnesses

Foodborne illness is any illness resulting from the consumption of contaminated food, pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food, as well as chemical or natural toxins such as poisonous mushrooms. Salmonella is an example of a foodborne illness pathogen. It is closely related to the Escherichia genus and are found worldwide in cold- and warm-blooded animals (including humans), and in the environment. Salmonella spp. – its S. typhimurium infection is caused by consumption of eggs or poultry that are not adequately cooked or by other interactive human-animal pathogens.

Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis is a bacterial disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella. Many different kinds of Salmonella can make people sick. Most people have diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain that start 1 to 3 days after they get infected. These symptoms usually go away after 1 week. Sometimes, people have to see a doctor or go to the hospital because the diarrhea is severe or the infection has affected other organs. Salmonella are a common cause of diarrhea in B.C. and around the world. Children four years old and younger have the highest infection rates in B.C.

How chickens acquire Salmonella

Salmonella are spread from fecal material of all kinds of animals. Animals pick up the bacteria from the soil or perhaps from contaminated water or processed feed. The organisms then live in the intestinal tract of the host and may or may not have an effect on the animal. As food animals are slaughtered and processed, there are times when some of the bacteria from the intestines have the opportunity to contaminate the end products.

Safety Handling of Chicken before Consumer use

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) controls for the presence of pathogenic bacteria on feathers, on skin and in the gastro-intestinal tract as well as for the risk of pathogenic contamination during the evisceration process due to inadequate feed withdrawal by supervising the hygiene at the farm level, and during transportation, the receiving, and the storage of the chicken.

Feed withdrawal

Feed withdrawal is often applied prior to shipping to clear the gastrointestinal tract of fecal content and thus reduce the potential fecal contamination of carcasses.

Acidification

High numbers of lactic acid bacteria, increased concentrations of lactic and acetic acid (fermentation products), and a decreased pH to approximately 4 may be contributing factors to the reduction of Salmonella colonization. To provide greater control over the consistency of the diet than occurs with fermented feed, acidification of feed has been proposed as an alternative to reduce Salmonella colonization of broiler chickens.

Application of Probiotics and Competitive Exclusion Bacteria

Application of competitive exclusion (CE) bacteria is yet another strategy with potential to reduce pathogen carriage by poultry. The CE bacteria are nonpathogenic bacteria typically found in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and may be composed of a single specific strain or may be composed of several strains or even several species of bacteria. Several commercial CE products for controlling Salmonella in chickens have been developed and include AviFree, Aviguard, Broilact, MSC and Preempt, or CF-3. They are all mixed anaerobic cultures derived from the cecal contents or wall, or both, of domestic fowl and have been screened for the absence of avian and human pathogens. The protective microflora are usually applied directly into the crop of the chick by gavage in laboratory studies, whereas in the field, CE products have been administered in the drinking water, by spraying hatching eggs or chicks in the hatching trays of shipping boxes, within feed slurries, or sprayed on agar plates for the chicks to eat.

Further, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) assesses the sanitation of trailer/crate washing and disinfecting. It ensures the reduction of pathogen levels by controlling for the adequate application of a water film that prevents bacterial attachment and the removal of visible contamination on carcasses e.g. by having sufficient water volume and pressure to remove visible contamination, and having spray nozzles at proper locations and direction. Other controls imposed by the CFIA include proper internal vacuuming inside and outside, ensuring that equipment (and water) used for carcass washing, reprocessing, and trimming is clean.

Safety Handling of Chicken at the Consumer level

The consumer level is the ultimate control to prevent from salmonella infection through the proper handling and cooking of the meat.

Handle and prepare food safely:

• Refrigerate foods promptly

• Keep raw poultry well wrapped and on lower refrigerator shelves so blood does not drip onto other foods

• Thaw poultry in the refrigerator, microwave, or under cold running water, not at room temperature

• Do not eat raw or undercooked poultry

• To ensure poultry is cooked thoroughly, use a meat thermometer and take the INTERNAL temperature of the meat by inserting the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. The MINIMUM internal temperature for poultry is 74º C (165º F).

• Avoid direct contact between raw meats and other uncooked foods

• When cooking or barbequing, use separate plates and utensils for raw and cooked poultry

• Use a separate cutting board for raw meats. If a second cutting board is unavailable, cut all other ingredients first before cutting raw meats

• Wash and sanitize items that do not go in the dishwasher, such as cutting boards, utensils, counters, kitchen sinks and tap handles:

1) Wash with warm, soapy water

2) Rinse with warm, plain water

3) Sanitize with a mild bleach solution - one teaspoon of bleach per litre of water. Immerse items in the solution or spray solution onto surfaces and soak for at least two minutes to kill any bacteria

Other ways to prevent infection:

WASH YOUR HANDS!:

- Before eating

- Before handling food

- Immediately after handling raw poultry or meat, and before touching anything else

- After using the toilet or changing diapers

- After touching animals or their feces

- After any time they may have become contaminated