Hit Your Injection Targets (Reiser -- 7 of 12) - 4

Brines: The next step is to
look at and understand the
list of ingredients for making
the brine. Brines should be
water soluble to pass through
the filtration system to avoid
clogging needles and for
processors to benefit from the
cost as well as the functionality

of those ingredients. "This
is usually the number one
complaint of meat processors-
to reduce clogged needles,"
reports Steinman.
If brines are not right, pump
levels will increase and drip
loss will occur, reducing yields
and also lowering profits
for processors. That issue
will even be evident to the
consumer: in fresh products,
loose brine will be visible in the
package. In cooked products,
uncured spots, gelatin pockets,

seam separation and pin holes
can be present.
Various brine ingredients have
their own unique functionality,
and when and how they are
introduced into the formulation
can impact yield. It's why
adhering to the step-by-step
formulation is imperative.
Here, too, an assessment
ensures operators are following
the right injection steps.
"We'll ask processors about
the ingredients in their brine
and then go step-by-step
into the mixing process, with
time, temperature and mixing,"
Steinman says. The pH in
the brine as well as viscosity
should also be documented
for consistency as part of the
processors' SOPs, he adds.
As more consumers and
processors are interested in
clean label products, today's
brines may be different than
past recipes. "As people look
for alternative cures, with no
nitrates or phosphates, we
have to look at getting the
same results, pickups and
yields without the use of those
ingredients," reports Steinman.
Mixing: Another important
step is the correct mixing of
the brine. Ingredients need to
be measured correctly, added
in the correct order, mixed for
the correct amount of time,
and at the correct temperature.
"Technology has been updated

to minimize mistakes in brine
mixing. Computer-controlled
brine mixing systems, like
Fomaco's Clean Line Brine
System with bar code
scanning, ensure your brine is
correctly mixed," say Steinman.
"This system validates the brine
mixing process and eliminates
any errors while maximizing
the functionality of each
ingredient."
Injector setup: Although the
brine and the mixing process
may be spot on, problems can
crop up fast if the injector is
not set up correctly. Steinman
suggests making sure there
is a correct injector setup for
the application with the most
beneficial needle types for the
product and process. Injector
machine checks should also
include a look at the proper
settings for pump pressure,
belt advance and throughput.
Temperature: Both the
temperature of the meat and
the temperature of the brine
have an impact on the final
yield of the finished product.
Unevenness in temperature
can ultimately affect product
color, taste, mouthfeel and
consistency, says Steinman.
Pumping: For uniform brine
flow and distribution to each
needle, constant pressure must
be maintained. A pump-topipe system like the one used
Hit Your Injection Targets (Reiser -- 7 of 12)

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