Superior quality control

The slaughterhouse Gilde Bøndernes Salgslag in Tronheim, Norway, has as the first Scandinavian slaughterhouse been supplied with a Meat Flow Line ensuring traceability all the way from the farmer to the consumer.

The meat flow line is the future. So simple, does divisional manager Svend Nielsen from Carnitech characterize the recent initiative within boning and trimming of cattle. In co-operation with Marel, Carnitech has developed and designed the line, which guarantees traceability without the use of boxes.

First Scandinvian Meat Flow Line

With an advanced computer programme, the automatics make sure that the origin and data of the meat follow the meat all the way through the processing in the slaughterhouse, from the hour the cattle enters until the meat has been packed and cooled. The first Scandinavian line has recently been installed in Norway. The line has been operating in two months with an optimal output.

The trade is ultra conservative, but the Norwegians have taken the necessary steps and thought of the future, says Svend Nielsen. The process before the installation was also longer than normally, as Carnitech at first had to design and offer a traditional plant with box conveyance to the Norwegians. During the presentation meeting the first draft for a traditional plant were discussed. After that Carnitech presented the plans for a Flow Line.

Traceability, yield and quality control

At first the scepticism was big. But after a visit to a slaughterhouse in Hamburg, which already had been supplied with a Meat Flow Line, they were finally convinced, says Svend Nielsen. The line does not only guarantee traceability which is very important in times with BSE and foot and mouth disease but it does also guarantee output control and a continuous quality control which further ensure that efficiency and quality harmonize. The operating system controls the meat throughout the process. Compared to traditional systems, this new system gives each piece of meat its own data, which are updated after each stage.

When an employee has finished deboning the meat, the system takes over with the added data. This also means that an employee can be notified directly in case there have been made some errors in connection with i.e. the deboning. When the meat has been packed, a label has been added to the package. This label tells you all about the origin of the meat. In this way diseases can quickly be traced all the way back to a specific cattle.

Great responsibility for employees

The automatic system means that the slaughterhouse is able to take data out from the specific processes. These data could i.e. inform you of how much an employee has produced an exact day and of the quality of the work. In this way, the employees have a larger responsibility as to the meat as they personally sign the meat after the boning and trimming.

The principles from the fish industry have been transferred to cattle and this yields good results. By now, the slaughterhouse trade has to get used to it, and then the equipment will be part of the future, says Svend Nielsen. In Norway, the system has been running for two months without any problems and the next flow line is already on its way to a similar slaughterhouse in Norway.