Abattoir

DBE, Research Process, Team 5
Table of Contents
I. Introduction 2
1. Types of slaughterhouse and meat packing plant
II. Slaughterhouse Process 4
2. Beef Processing
3. Mutton and Lamb
4. Meat Packing Technology
5. Edible offal processing
6. Blood processing
III. By - product processing 17
7. Rendering Plants
8. Biomethanation
9. Composting
10. Incineration
11. Short Term Preservations and Treatments of Hides
12. Casings processing
IV. Auxiliary Sections and Utilities 28
Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 1

I. Introduction
The life cycle of meat products commences with the production of livestock. Beef cattle
are raised on grazing properties or in intensive feedlots. At abattoirs, livestock are
slaughtered and the carcasses dressed to produce sides of meat. Slaughtering of animals
is done either by way of halal or jhatka method. Halal is the method preferred by
Muslims and jhatka by the Hindus/Christians, etc. To slaughter animal in humane way
stunning of the animals is prescribed, but in most of the cases stunning before
slaughtering has yet not been adopted due to certain religious feelings.
The basic steps in this process are stunning and bleeding, hide removal or hide
treatment, evisceration and carcass dressing. It is common for abattoirs to also
undertake the boning of carcasses to produce smaller retail cuts of meat.
Even though meat is the most significant product from the abattoir, byproducts such as
hides, blood, fat, bone and offal are also produced. The profitability of an abattoir can
often depend on the extent to which these materials are utilized. Edible by-products are
further processed into saleable products and inedible by-products are converted into
animal feed supplements by rendering.
From the abattoir, carcasses, boned meat and edible by-products are distributed on a
wholesale basis to butchers or to other meat processing plants for further processing
into specialty products and processed meats, otherwise the carcass is packed and
distributed to the export market. Retail cuts of meat are packaged and then further
distributed to retail outlets. Fresh meat products are highly perishable and refrigerated
storage is required throughout their life to maintain eating appeal and prevent
microbiological spoilage. The life cycle ends with consumption by the consumer and
disposal or recycling of the packaging.
Types of slaughterhouse and meat packing plant

Plants for slaughtering may be categorized on the basis of the final products. A plant
that processes meat into products such as canned, smoked and cured meats is
significantly different from a plant with facilities for slaughtering without further
processing.
A) Slaughterhouses and packinghouses (slaughtering and meat processing) may each

be divided into two categories on the basis of the quantity of waste produced.
Slaughterhouses
Simple slaughterhouse
A plant that slaughter animals and does a very limited by-product processing is simple
slaughter house. Its main products are fresh meat in the form of whole, half or quarter
carcasses or in smaller meat cuts.
Complex slaughterhouse
It is a plant that slaughters and does extensive processing of by-products. Usually at

least three of the following operations take place: rendering, paunch and viscera
handling, blood processing, and hide and hair processing.
Packinghouses
Low-processing packinghouse:
It is a plant that both slaughters and processes fresh meat into cured, smoked, canned
and other meat products. Only the meat from animals slaughtered at the plant is
processed. Carcasses may also be sold.
High-processing packinghouse:

A plant that also processes meat purchased from outside in addition to meats
slaughtered in its facilities. Sometimes, a high-process packinghouse has facilities for
tanning operations.
B) Depending up on the type of animals slaughtered, the slaughterhouses are classified

in to:
 Large animal (i.e. cattle, buffalo etc) slaughterhouse

 Goat and sheep slaughterhouse
 Pig slaughter house
 Poultry slaughterhouse
C) Based on the scale of operation, slaughterhouses have been classified into three
categories namely, large, medium, and small.
II. Slaughterhouse Process

1. Beef Processing
The generic processes that take place at abattoirs (slaughterhouse) are stunning and
bleeding, hide removal and/or treatment, evisceration, carcass dressing and washing.
Many abattoirs also have a boning process in which finished carcasses are cut into retail
portions.
Most abattoirs also have casings and offal processing departments, which produce
value-added products from the casings (intestinal tract) and edible offal. Brief
descriptions of these processes are as follows:
A. Pre-handling of cattle
The cattle are delivered to the abattoir in trucks and unloaded into holding pens, where
they are rested for one or two days before slaughter. Any cattle classed as ‘dirty’ are
washed. These holding areas should have adequate facilities for the inspection of
livestock, including walkways over pens, weighing, medication of treatable problems
and other facilities. Sick animals and those unfit for human consumption are identified
and removed from the normal processing flow.
Plants should have separate isolation and holding pens for these animals, and may have
separate processing facilities. The live beef animals are weighed prior to processing so
that yield can be accurately determined.
B. Stunning and bleeding
The cattle are led to the slaughter area where they are stunned (rendered unconscious)
using a bolt pistol or electric shock. They are then shackled by a hind leg and hoisted
onto an overhead rail or dressing trolley.
Bleeding, or sticking, then takes place, with the blood collected through a special floor
drain or collected in large funneled vats or barrels and sent to a rendering facility for
further processing. Blood can be used in human food only if it is kept completely sterile
by removal from the animals through tubes or syringes.
In some plants, electrical stimulation (ES) is applied to the carcasses to improve lean
color, firmness, texture, and marbling score; to improve bleeding of carcasses; and to
make removal of the hides easier.
C. Dressing and hide removal
The bled carcasses are conveyed to the slaughter hall where dressing and evisceration
take place. The first stage of this process, dressing, can be performed as the carcass
hangs from the overhead rail, or the animal can be unshackled and laid in a cradle. The
head and hoofs are removed, the head is cleaned with water, and the tongue and brain
are recovered. Hides are then removed and conveyed to the hide processing area,
where they are preserved by salting or chilled on ice.
After dressing, the carcasses are washed to remove any remaining blood or bone dust.
The carcasses may also be physically or chemically decontaminated. The simplest

physical decontamination method involves spraying the carcass with high pressure hot
water or steam. A variety of chemical decontaminants may be used as well; acetic and
lactic acids are the most widely used and appear to be the most effective. In addition,
the following may be used: the organic acids, adipic, ascorbic, citric, fumaric, malic,
propionic, and sorbic; aqueous solutions of chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, beta
propiolactone, and glutaraldehyde; and inorganic acids, including hydrochloric and
phosphoric.
D. Evisceration
The carcasses are then opened to remove the viscera. The stomach (paunch) and
intestines are emptied of manure and cleaned in preparation for further processing.
Edible offal (tongue, stomach, kidney, head meat, heart and liver) is separated, washed
and chilled. The carcasses are then split, rinsed and then conveyed to a cold storage area
for rapid chilling. Inedible material is collected and sent to a rendering plant for further
processing.
E. Chilling
After the carcasses are dressed and washed, they are weighed and chilled. A thorough
chilling during the first 24 hours is essential, otherwise the carcasses may sour. Air
chillers are most common for beef sides.
A desirable temperature for chilling warm beef carcasses is 0oc (32oF). Because a group
of warm carcasses will raise the temperature of a chill room considerably, it is good
practice to lower the temperature of the room to 5c below freezing before the carcasses
are moved in. Temperatures more severe than this can cause cold shortening, an intense
shortening of muscle fibers, which brings about toughening.
F. Cutting and boning

Carcass cutting and boning often take place after chilling, since a carcass is easier to
handle and cut when it is chilled. Boning is the term used to describe the process of
cutting meat away from the bone.
Figure: - Typical process flow diagram for slaughtering of beef cattle

Inspection: - Carcasses and viscera are inspected to determine if they are suitable for
human consumption. Each carcass and its components are identified and kept together
wherever possible until inspection is complete. At various stages in the process,
inedible by-products such as bone, fat, heads, hair and condemned offal are generated.
These materials are sent to a rendering plant either on site or off site for rendering into
feed materials or completely disposed depending on the type of defect identified.
2. Mutton and Lamb

The process in slaughterhouse of goats/sheep is similar to those described above for
beef cattle processing.
Pre
handling
Restraining
Sticking Final trimming Carcass

and washing chilling
Dressing
and hide Evisceration Packing and
removal loading
Offal separation and Offal chilling

processing
Fig: - Sheep/goat slaughter process

Machinery, equipment and tools

The amount of equipment will depend on the slaughtering procedures employed. If
possible, all equipment should be made of stainless steel or plastic, be rust resistant and
easily cleaned and sanitized. Equipment which does not get in contact with the meat
(e.g. overhead rails, working platforms, knocking pen) is usually made of galvanized
steel. The standard installation and equipment required in modern slaughterhouse are
those necessary to effect a rapid and hygienic conversion of livestock into meat.
Basic equipment needed for the slaughtering operations:
Weighing scale: - Spring type or load cell floor based

Over head (digital or analog)
Lab equipments
Tube lights
Sorting tables
Conveyor/hooks
Trolleys
Hooks with bearing
Over head mobile hook
Chiller Hooks
Slaughtering kit& equipment
Rail for conveying the carcass/ both manually and mechanically
Compressor based on the number of cold rooms for refrigerating
Fan
Chiller and freezer
Refrigeration system for chiller and freezer
Condenser
Boiler
Autoclave (for stock net sterilization )
Others

Ac ( for factory and admin hall)

Generators
Slaughtering Tools
Relatively fewer tools are required for the slaughter and some can be made by local
metal workshops or blacksmiths. The most commonly used slaughtering tools are
shown in the Figure
-Skinning Knife - Meat Saw
- Spreader - Meat Chop
- Steel - Grinding and Honing Stones
- Meat Tree/Hooks
Van (refrigerated truck)

A chiller van which includes reefer container and refrigeration systems will be required
for delivery of meat, especially for the delivery to airport for export of meat.
Vehicles for transporting meat and

carcasses should be considered as an
extension of the refrigerated storage. The Fig: - Refrigerated truck
object must be to maintain the meat
temperature at or near 0°C. Meat should
be chilled to 0°C before loading. Meat
should hang on rails, not on the floor.
Meat trucks should not carry anything
other than meat.
3. Meat packaging technology

Packaging fresh meat is carried out to delay spoilage, permit some enzymatic activity to
improve tenderness, reduce weight loss, and, where applicable, to ensure an
oxymyoglobin or cherry red color in red meats at retail or customer level.
Many meat packaging systems currently exist, each with different attributes and
applications. These systems range from over wrap packaging for short-term chilled
storage and retail display to 100% carbon dioxide atmosphere packaging for long-term
chilled storage. The major methods of packing are: -
Vacuum packaging
Today the most widely used method employed to extend the storage life of fresh meat
is vacuum packaging. Vacuum packaging extends the storage life of chilled meats by
maintaining an oxygen deficient environment within the pack. The air within the
package must be evacuated effectively to prevent irreversible browning due to low
levels of residual oxygen.
Advantage of vacuum packaging

 Vacuum packaging is a simple easily controlled process with any failure clearly
identified by visible air pockets remaining in the pack.
 a significant reduction in skilled labor and waste at retail level associated with
vacuum packaging
 Increase hygiene and simplified handling during distribution and storage as well
as more efficient use of refrigerated storage.
Disadvantage of vacuum packaging

 Vacuum packaging is ineffective for whole carcasses or cuts of shapes which
prevent the packaging film being closely applied to all surfaces.
 Vacuum packaging is considered unsuitable for meat products that are sensitive
to pressure, for example very thin slices.
Modified atmosphere packaging

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is the enclosure of food products in high gas-
barrier materials in which the gaseous environment has been changed to slow
respiration rates, reduce microbiological growth and retard enzymatic spoilage with the
intent of extending shelf-life
MAP systems most frequently use mixtures of CO2, O2 and/or N2, in which each gas
has a specific role to play in extending the shelf-life and maintaining the appearance of
packaged meat.
Advantage of MAP
 Extended transit time
 High quality maintenance
 Active inhibition of bacteria and moulds
 Reduce economic loss
Disadvantages of MAP
 Visible added cost
 Variable product requirements
 Not universally effective
Bulk, master or mother packaging
Master packaging is the most economical of all packaging techniques. However, it must
be integrated with strict temperature control in a narrow range just above freezing,
good processing hygiene and maintenance of a completely anoxic atmosphere in the
package headspace throughout the distribution period to maximize storage life. If
properly applied, the storage life of retail ready meat can be extended for up to ten
weeks in the master package followed by three days of retail display. The most
successful gas mixture for master packaging is 25% CO2, 50% N2 and 25% O2.
Controlled atmosphere packaging and active packaging systems

Modified atmosphere packaging is a packaging system where the pack atmosphere is

altered initially and then allowed to change over time during storage. With controlled
atmosphere packaging, the package atmosphere is altered initially and then maintained
during the life of the package. For chilled meat, the most effective technology to date is
the high CO2 controlled atmosphere packaging system.
Active packaging is an innovative concept that can be defined as a type of packaging

that changes the condition of the packaging to extend shelf-life or improve safety or
sensory properties while maintaining the quality of the meat. Major active packaging
techniques are concerned with substances that absorb oxygen, ethylene, moisture,
carbon dioxide, flavors/odors and those which release carbon dioxide, antimicrobial
agents, antioxidants and flavors. The most prevalent form of active packaging in the
meat industry is based on oxygen scavenging.
4. Edible offal processing

Edible offals used for human consumption; such as liver, heart, head meat, tongue,
stomach, and kidney are often processed at slaughterhouse in a room set apart for the
treatment. Processing of these materials is limited to washing, trimming and scrapping
fats, inspection, packing and freezing or chilling. Preparation of animal intestines for
use as casing is more involved process.
5. Blood Processing
Blood obtained during slaughter at abattoirs is a potentially valuable by-product. It is
usually collected and stored in tanks and then transported to specialized blood
processing facilities. The usefulness of blood for consumption purposes is determined
by the state of health of animals at the time of slaughter, and the hygienic conditions of
obtaining it. Blood is processed to give a wide range of products from blood, plasma,
red cells and proteins.

Blood intended for human consumption and its derivatives are obtained in
slaughterhouse plants, while further processing is carried out most often in separate
blood processing plants or specialist meat processing establishments.
Blood is used in the formulation of food additives (emulsifiers, stabilizers, clarifiers,

nutritional additives, and egg albumin substitute), pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, animal
feeds as well as in numerous industrial applications.
Fig: - Flow Diagram of Blood Processing
Before blood is consumed as food or in any other applications it is collected, processed

and preserved into a shelf-stable powder. It undergoes through physical, chemical, and
microbiological treatments. In this study the process through which blood obtained
from slaughterhouses passes is classified into three major processes which make
significant value change on the raw blood and intermediate products. These processes
are: -
1. Blood Collection and Preservation

2. Separation of Liquid and Solid ingredients
3. Drying and Powder Formation of Plasma and Corpuscles

Fig: - Typical Process Flow of Blood Processing Plant
Blood is collected from stunned animals after they are hung and their throats are cut. A
large funnel connected through a hose (pipes) to a container is held at the throat of the
animal. The blood flows into the container where it is defibrinated by stirring. Collected
blood is poured through a sieve (screening system) into a tank. The blood is then
transferred a centrifuge to separate the solid and liquid constituting ingredients and
allowed to the next process station for further processing. The drying and powder
forming unit further dries the liquid from the plasma resulting in powders of plasma
and corpuses. The freshly processed blood powder was assessed for physical, chemical,
and microbiological characteristics at different process stages. Moisture content, crude
protein, mineral content, and ash content of the blood powder were determined using
standard procedures. Microbial load of the blood powder was determined on freshly
processed blood powder. Each lot is brought to the laboratory to check quality which
comprise of bacteriological screening at different stages of processing.
Blood Collection and Preservation: - Collection of blood from slaughterhouses is

severely affected by religion and beliefs, collection facilities, waste management and
environmental levies. Away from these external factors there are varieties of methods
used to collect fresh blood in slaughter houses.

Blood collection from bolt shot animals after throat is cut requires defibrination by
stirring and high level of hygiene care. In the recent technological achievements most of
the slaughtered animals are hygienically bled and the blood is collected using hollow
knives and tubes, and prevented from coagulation using chemicals and mechanical
stirring systems. Closed system of using hollow needle and tubes from bolt shot
animals has minimum contamination but needs anticoagulants/additives to avoid
clotting in the flow line and storage tanks, and less blood per animal is collected. Lemon
juice, an anti-coagulant, was added to the blood to keep it liquid during transportation
from the abattoir to the blood processing plant if it is processed separately.
Separation of Liquid and Solid ingredients: - The majority of the water removal is
done using a centrifugal decanter. The raw blood is coagulated with steam, which is
then spun at high speed to separate the solid and liquid phases. The liquid phase is
drained while the solids are collected for further drying. This wastewater had a high
protein loading contributing to the overall organic loading of the wastewater.
Separation of liquid (plasma) and solids (corpuscles) or red blood cells of blood in a
centrifuge results in highly nutritious protein rich food powder products.
Drying and Powder Formation of Plasma and Corpuscles: - In recent technologies

plasma is concentrated and dried by ultra filtration which is the most violent sprouting
and thin film drier; and other equivalent processes by which blood is dried and formed
to powder form are freeze drying and spray drying.
Mechanical dewatering, by centrifugal decanter, is about 20 times more energy efficient

than thermal drying. Therefore if more liquid is removed in the centrifugal decanter,
then less thermal drying will be required and overall energy consumption (and
associated cost) is lower. The efficiency of the centrifugal decanter separation depends
on the relationship between the depth of the liquid in the drum and the length of the
exit-drying region (beach), with deep liquor in the decanter producing a low strength
waste liquor but wet solids; and shallow liquor in the decanter producing high strength
waste liquor but dry solids. The separately dried plasma and corpuscles are collected as

powders of these ingredients and to make the final biological treatment irradiation
source or equivalent system is effective decontamination way.
Therefore, one cleaner opportunity identified was the optimization between the
centrifugal and thermal drying processes. In optimizing this system downstream
processing costs need to be considered, such as costs of treating the waste liquor from
the centrifugal decanter in the wastewater treatment plant.
III. By-product Processing

Meat is the most significant product from the abattoir, by weight and also in monetary
terms. However, by-products can contribute significantly to the profitability of an
abattoir operation since they generally have a commercial value.
If animal by-products are not used effectively a valuable source of revenue is lost, and
the added and increasing cost of disposal of these products is incurred by the company.
Also, from an environmental perspective, utilization of by-products reduces the overall
environmental load of the process. All most every by-product of slaughter house can be
utilized. However various circumstances do not always permit by product recovery.
The reason may be inadequate quantity of material, lack of market, and cost of
processing.
In such instant, the simple form part of waste lot for which different methods of
processing and disposal has to be considered. For slaughterhouse wastes composting,
biomethanation, and rendering systems are suggested. Selection of appropriate method,
however, depends on mainly type of waste and its quantity.
1. Rendering Plants

Meat rendering plants process animal by-product for the production of tallow, grease,
and high-protein meat and bone meal. Plants that operate in conjunction with animal
slaughterhouses are called integrated rendering plants.
Plants that collect their raw materials from a variety of offsite sources are called
independent rendering plants. Independent plants obtain animal by-product materials,
including grease, blood, feathers, offal, and entire animal carcasses, from the following
sources: butcher shops, supermarkets, restaurants, fast-food chains, poultry processors,
slaughterhouses, farms, ranches, feedlots, and animal shelters.
The two types of animal rendering processes are edible and inedible rendering. Edible
rendering plants process fatty animal tissue into edible fats and proteins. The plants are
normally operated in conjunction with meat packing plants. Inedible rendering plants
are operated by independent renders or are part of integrated rendering operations.
These plants produce inedible tallow and grease, which are used in livestock and
poultry feed, soap, and production of fatty-acids.
Process Description
Raw Materials — integrated rendering plants normally process only one type of raw
material, whereas independent rendering plants often handle several raw materials that
require either multiple rendering systems or significant modifications in the operating
conditions for a single system.
Edible Rendering
A typical edible rendering process is shown in Figure ( ). Fat trimmings are ground and
then belt conveyed to a melt tank. The melt tank heats the materials to about 43°C
(110°F), and the melted fatty tissue is pumped to a disintegrator, which ruptures the fat
cells. The proteinaceous solids are separated from the melted fat and water by a
centrifuge. The melted fat and water are then heated with steam to about 93°C (200°F)
by a shell and tube heat exchanger.

A second-stage centrifuge then separates the edible fat from the water, which also
contains any remaining protein fines. The water is discharged as sludge, and the
"polished" fat is pumped to storage.
Inedible Rendering
There are two processes for inedible rendering: the wet process and the dry process.
Wet rendering is a process that separates fat from raw material by boiling in water. The
process involves addition of water to the raw material and the use of live steam to cook
the raw material and accomplish separation of the fat.
Dry rendering is a batch or continuous process that dehydrates raw material in order to
release fat. Following dehydration in batch or continuous cookers, the melted fat and
protein solids are separated. At present, only dry rendering is used. The wet rendering
process is no longer used because of the high cost of energy and of an adverse effect on
the fat quality.
Batch Rendering Process
In the batch process, the raw material from the receiving bin is screw conveyed to a
crusher where it is reduced to 2.5 to 5 centimeters (cm) (1 to 2 inches [in.]) in size to
improve cooking efficiency. Cooking normally requires 1.5 to 2.5 hr, but adjustments in
the cooking time and temperature may be required to process the various materials. A
typical batch cooker is a horizontal, cylindrical vessel equipped with a steam jacket and
an agitator. To begin the cooking process the cooker is charged with raw material, and
the material is heated to a final temperature ranging from121° to 135°C (250° to 275°F).
Following the cooking cycle, the contents are discharged to the percolator drain pan.
Vapor emissions from the cooker pass through a condenser where the water vapor is
condensed and non-condensable are emitted as VOC emissions. The percolator drain
pan contains a screen that separates the liquid fat from the protein solids. From the
percolator drain pan, the protein solids, which still contain about 25 percent fat, are
conveyed to the screw press. The screw press completes the separation of fat from

solids, and yields protein solids that have residual fat content of about 10 percent. These
solids, called cracklings, are then ground and screened to produce protein meal.
The fat from both the screw press and the percolator drain pan is pumped to the crude
animal fat tank, centrifuged or filtered to remove any remaining protein solids, and
stored in the animal fat storage tank.
Continuous Rendering Process
The figure below shows the basic inedible rendering process using the continuous
process. The system is similar to a batch system except that a single, continuous cooker
is used rather than several parallel batch cookers. A typical continuous cooker is a
horizontal, steam-jacketed cylindrical vessel equipped with a mechanism that
continuously moves the material horizontally through the cooker. Continuous cookers
cook the material faster than batch cookers, and typically produce a higher quality fat
product. From the cooker, the material is discharged to the drainer, which serves the
same function as the percolator drain pan in the batch process. The remaining
operations are generally the same as the batch process operations.
Current continuous systems may employ evaporators operated under vacuum to

remove moisture from liquid fat obtained using a preheated and a press. In this system,
liquid fat is obtained by precooking and pressing raw material and then dewatered
using a heated evaporator under vacuum. The heat source for the evaporator is hot
vapors from the cooker/dryer. The dewatered fat is then recombined with the solids
from the press prior to entry into the cooker/dryer.

Fig: - Edible Rendering Process Flow (Batch / Continous)

Fig: - Inedible By products Rendering Process Flow

2. Biomethanation
Biomethanation is admirably suited for the slaughter house waste to generate methane
gas, which can be utilized for water heating, boiler or power generation and the manure
of much greater fertilizing value than ordinary compost.
3. Composting
Practically, all slaughter house waste can be use for compost making. The agricultural
residue and dung from the lairage, ruminal and intestinal contents, blood, meat
cuttings, floor sweepings can be stabilized by composting.
4. Incineration
It can be use for treatment of many wastes. Unlike previous methods, incineration
provides no by–products but recovery of heat is possible. Incineration is a controlled
combustion process for destruction of combustible wastes. The wastes after combustion
are converted to gaseous constituents and non-combustible residue. The gases are
released to atmosphere and the residue is usually to landfill.
In incineration, waste is burn at temperature s between 850 c and 1100 c in specially

designed combustion chambers. An auxiliary fuel is required to start ignition and
sustenance of combustion of waste.
5. Short - term Preservations and Treatments of Hides
Animal hide is one of the most valuable by-products from meat processing, since there are well
established markets for its use in most parts of the world. Hides are converted into a variety of
consumer goods, in particular shoes, bags and clothing. However other parts of the original
hide can be recovered for use in the manufacture of cosmetic ingredients and medical
prosthetics. At abattoirs, hides may be chilled or salted and sent directly to the tannery.

Alternatively, fleshing may take place at abattoirs to recover the meat trimmings and fat from
the hides before they are sent to the tannery.
Hides and skins, like meat, readily deteriorate therefore short-term preservation methods are
used to prevent deterioration of hides and skins before they are tanned, partially processed or
cured. As soon as a skin (hide) is removed from an animal it is susceptible to autolysis (self
digestion) and bacterial degradation, and the rate of degradation increases with temperature.
Therefore, it is best to preserve the skins at their source. Short-term preservation is also
necessary if there are delays before curing, drying or other processing, such as fellmongering.
Chemical methods and chilling are used to preserve hides and skins during transportation and
storage. However, short-term preservation should be more widely used because green
processing, which eliminates the cost of salting and the environmental problems associated
with the salt, is only worthwhile if there is no deterioration in the raw material.
Methods of Short Term Preservation
There are varieties of methods available to preserve and treat hides for short period of time to
avoid deterioration during storage and transportation. The commonly employed methods are
salting (chemical treatment), chilling, drying and drum soaking.
Chilling and salting methods are the best among the available methods in maintaining the
quality of hides and skins after slaughtering. Chilling of hides and skins is a green processing
which eliminates environmental problems and reduces cost of chemicals.
Chemical methods are being used for up to 10 days’ preservation at 25°C. They are mainly used
for one to three days preservation under mild climatic conditions.
The main advantages of chemical methods are:

1. The continuing protection given during transportation and delays.
2. The ease of application, especially in tanning drums or converted concrete
mixers.
3. Treatments using either sodium chlorite or calcium hypochlorite alone do not
affect by-products or effluent.

The disadvantages of chemical methods are:

1. They are not recommended when ambient temperatures are continuously above
30°C.
2. All the chemicals need to be handled with care, although some are more
hazardous than others.
3. Some of the chemicals cannot be used in particular circumstances owing to
effluent restrictions or contamination of by-products.
4. Loosening of hair or wool can occur within two days at 25°C.
Chilling is used in various ways for holding hides and skins for up to three weeks.
The main advantages of chilling are:

1. Hides can be quickly chilled by water or ice as they come from the kill floor.
2. No pollution.
3. No contamination of by-products.
4. Suitable for all hides and skins.
5. No hair-loosening. Chilling is therefore suitable for woolskins and hides which
will subsequently be cured or tanned with the wool or hair on.
The main disadvantages of chilling are:

1. Hides and skins are good insulators and retain the body heat, so they should be
chilled individually, immediately after removal.
2. If low temperatures are not maintained during transport and storage, damage
can occur.
3. The temperature of chilled hides needs to be raised before unhairing.
Chilling Methods
The temperature to which hides and skins should be chilled depends on the required time of
preservation. If there is a delay before chilling, the storage time at a particular temperature is
reduced, e.g. there will be deterioration within one day if hides are left at body temperature for
several hours before chilling to 20°C.

Various chilling methods can be used provided all areas of all hides and skins quickly reach the
required temperature.
Crushed ice added to collection bins or drummed with hides, often in

mixers. This is cost effective and the most commonly used method.
Fluming, spraying or bath washing with chilled water.
Application of dry ice particles (carbon dioxide snow - expensive).
Placing in a freezer.
Hanging hides on hooks on a conveyor in a chiller which can be
mobile.
6. Casings processing
Casings are the small intestinal tracts of animals acquired from alimentary tract derived
from slaughtering. Casings are mainly derived from small and large intestines from
sheep, goats and pigs, but also from cattle and horses.
Casings are used for variety of purposes such as surgical sutures, collagen sheet (used
for burn dressing) strings for sports rackets, casing for human food. Process flow of
casings processing is as follows:
Animal intestine received from the slaughterhouse floor is highly contaminated with
microbes and other wastes. The cleaning and removal of various internal and external
wastes is necessary to convert this product into a useful casing. Following steps are
followed by the casings processors:
The first step in casing preparation is removing the viscera (intestine) and separating it
from the internal organs. The viscera is placed on a table and separated from the
mesentery fat. The next step is to remove the intestinal contents. Waste from intestines
is usually removed by pulling the casing through the fingers. In either case, a great

quantity of water is needed to wash the casings and to keep the operation clean. The
casing is soaked for approximately 30 minutes in 100 to 108oF (38 to 42 oC) water.
Removal of intestinal content is followed by the separation of inter-mucosal membrane

from the casing. This process is accomplished by a hand operation wherein the casing is
scrapped with a dull bladed knife or an oyster shell. Machine can also be used for this
purpose. However in both cases huge quantity of water at 108oF (42oC) is required.
Next, the casing goes through a mucosa stripper (mucosa is a membrane), which looks
essentially like the manure stripper. Again, 108 oF (42oC) water is used to keep the
operation sanitary. This operation is accomplished by hand scraping.
Next, the casing goes through a process to remove any string-like material and
remaining mucosa. Large quantities of 108oF (42oC) potable water are essential to keep
the operation clean. After this process, casings are salted by hand. The salting and
shaking of the casing usually are continued until the casings absorbs 40% salt, at which
point they are packed into a container.
Grading Standards
Casings are measured in Hanks. Total measurement of one Hank is 92 meters. As per
international standards, there should not be more than 20 pieces per hank and no piece
should be shorter than 2 meters in length. Other grading criteria/standard is the
diameter of intestine tube measured into caliber sizes of 16/18mm, 18/20mm,
20/22mm, 22/24mm and 24/26mm.

IV. Auxiliary Sections and Utilities

Water supply: Whether from individually owned and controlled sources such as wells
or streams or from a municipal system, the water supply must be potable and abundant
cold and hot water must be distributed to all parts of the operation. It would be useful,
to install a reservoir or tank on the premises as a security against shortages and
breakdown
Diesel generator is provided for emergency supply of electricity, especially for lighting
purpose and completion of processes already started running which cannot be stopped
until the work - in - progress (partially processed products) are completed.
Air Conditioning Systems: - Adequate means of natural or mechanical ventilation

should be provided, in particular to:
 Minimize air borne contamination of food , for example, from aerosols and
condensation droplets
 Control ambient temperature
 Control odors which might affect the suitability of food
 Control humidity, where necessary ,to ensure the safety and suitably of food
Refrigeration: The main purpose of refrigeration is to cool the meat down after
slaughter and to maintain it in a chilled state for shorter or longer storage periods and
for cutting and further processing. If frozen storage is provided and utilized, it should
be maintained at the lowest possible temperature for maximum shelf-life.
Minus 18° to -12°C is satisfactory freezer storage; however, large quantities of product
must either be quick frozen prior to storage or thinly spread out to facilitate freezing. It
is also recommended that all rooms where meat is processed, except in the slaughter
and cooler storage areas, should be maintained at a temperature of about 12°C. In
facilities where no refrigeration or cooling is furnished in processing areas, the handling

of meat products is possible if all equipment contacting the products is thoroughly

cleaned and sanitized from time to time (recommended every four hours). Frequent
cleaning is necessary because in warmer temperatures bacteria multiply rapidly and the
risk of product contamination increases.
Air- compressor: air is compressed in an air compressor and distributed throughout

the plant in pressurized pipe.
Boiler: steam is produced in a boiler and distributed throughout the plant trough the
insulate pipe. Condensate is returned to a condensate tank from where it is recirculated
as boiler feed water, unless it is used for heating in the production process.
In addition to the above the following utilities are also required in the slaughterhouse
- Quality control and laboratory room

- Cold room(chilling and freezing)
- Laundry and shower room

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DBE, Research Process, Team 5

1. Types of slaughterhouse and meat packing plant

II. Slaughterhouse Process 4

3. Mutton and Lamb

4. Meat Packing Technology

5. Edible offal processing

III. By - product processing 17

11. Short Term Preservations and Treatments of Hides

12. Casings processing

IV. Auxiliary Sections and Utilities 28

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 1

Types of slaughterhouse and meat packing plant

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 2

A) Slaughterhouses and packinghouses (slaughtering and meat processing) may each

It is a plant that slaughters and does extensive processing of by-products. Usually at

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 3

B) Depending up on the type of animals slaughtered, the slaughterhouses are classified

 Large animal (i.e. cattle, buffalo etc) slaughterhouse

II. Slaughterhouse Process

B. Stunning and bleeding

C. Dressing and hide removal

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 5

F. Cutting and boning

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 6

Figure: - Typical process flow diagram for slaughtering of beef cattle

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 7

2. Mutton and Lamb

Sticking Final trimming Carcass

Offal separation and Offal chilling

Fig: - Sheep/goat slaughter process

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 8

Machinery, equipment and tools

Basic equipment needed for the slaughtering operations:

Weighing scale: - Spring type or load cell floor based

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 9

Ac ( for factory and admin hall)

-Skinning Knife - Meat Saw

- Spreader - Meat Chop

- Steel - Grinding and Honing Stones

Van (refrigerated truck)

Vehicles for transporting meat and

3. Meat packaging technology

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 10

Advantage of vacuum packaging

Disadvantage of vacuum packaging

Modified atmosphere packaging

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 11

Bulk, master or mother packaging

Controlled atmosphere packaging and active packaging systems

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 12

Modified atmosphere packaging is a packaging system where the pack atmosphere is

Active packaging is an innovative concept that can be defined as a type of packaging

4. Edible offal processing

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 13

Blood is used in the formulation of food additives (emulsifiers, stabilizers, clarifiers,

Fig: - Flow Diagram of Blood Processing

Before blood is consumed as food or in any other applications it is collected, processed

1. Blood Collection and Preservation

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 14

Fig: - Typical Process Flow of Blood Processing Plant

Blood Collection and Preservation: - Collection of blood from slaughterhouses is

Technical Commodity Study of Slaughterhouse Page 15

Drying and Powder Formation of Plasma and Corpuscles: - In recent technologies

Mechanical dewatering, by centrifugal decanter, is about 20 times more energy efficient