The objective of this project was to demonstrate the applicability of metagenomic analysis to understand the ecology and sources of microbial Contamination in an abattoir, specifically focusing on w...

Significant investment has been made into research, development and facilitated adoption of various technologies in meat processing, however there remains significant challenges in relation to effec...

Handling skills are essential for managing livestock. Good livestock handling skills can minimise stress and injury; reduce time and effort required to move animals; reduce stress for both people an...

The high consumption of water associated with many activities in abattoir operations is a key environmental issue. Water is used for the watering and washing of livestock, the washing of trucks, ...

This Energy Consumption Guide (ECG) is intended to raise awareness of the potential to improve the energy and environmental performance of small to medium sized red meat processing facilities , and ...

This document describes how to develop an Energy Management Plan (EMP) and is tailored for small to medium scale red meat processing facilities, which are defined as having a processing capacity of ...

The NGERS and wastewater management project is intended to identify key contributors to waste stream loads and resources, including thermal, energetic, and chemical. This was partly driven by carbon...

The purpose of this project is to integrate the new hock tipping cutter with the MAR vision system, and then re-commission the robot system with integration with the new chain drive, including ...

This guidance document for the Australian Red Meat Industry reviews current developments in clean ability and hygienic design with the aim of supporting the red meat industry in reducing water used ...

Anaerobic lagoons are a cost-effective, low energy technology for the reduction of organic carbon in meat processing wastewater. They are widely used and are the preferred technology in meat process...

This research project study report presents the findings from sampling and testing at three Australian red meat processing plants located in regional New South Wales (NSW) and South Australia (SA). ...

The objective of this project was to facilitate the conduct of trials aimed at demonstrating mechanisms for reducing water consumption in meat processing facilities. This trial aimed to improve w...

The objective of this project has been to facilitate the conduct of three trials aimed at demonstrating mechanisms for reducing water consumption in meat processing facilities. These three trials...

With Stage 1 complete and a comprehensive set of training and assessment materials, sample SOPs and work instructions available to industry, Stage 2 has supported a national roll out of the training...

Previous vacuum-packaged beef shelf-life studies indicated that microbial growth did not follow the expected pattern and peaked at a lower level than measured in earlier studies. The current project...

The MINTRAC Training Networks provide the means of ensuring that R&D outcomes, innovation, new regulatory requirements and industry requirements become embedded into the meat industry ...

MINTRAC again facilitated fourteen Quality Assurance Managers’ Network meetings during 2012-2013 attended by representatives of 114 different organisations including fifty eight different...

Most abattoirs currently dispose their Paunch Waste (PW) via composting, land application or through use of landfills. Previous MLA and AMPC studies have indicated that energy and nutrient recovery ...

Meat colour has important implications for consumer acceptability and eating quality, with dark carcases incur economic penalties, and thus negatively impact the meat industry. This study aims to in...

This report addresses the Regulatory status and labelling requirements of bovine derived plasma in Australia the European Union, United States of America and North Asia. The use of bovine plasma ext...

Every processing company across Australia has been contacted about the NLIS training and assessment material and e-learning tool. The roll-out of the training has been scheduled and advertising has ...

Presentations on Meat colour and Meat Favour (Dr Robyn Warner - CSIRO) and Theory of Meat Tenderness (Dr John Thompson - UNE).

Australian red meat processing facilities can produce significant volumes of wastewater during slaughtering and cleaning operations. This wastewater stream can be rich in organic contaminants and nu...

This report finalises the Plant Initiated Project Application Form prepared and submitted by CRF Colac Otway directly relating to the understanding of current practises and the investigation&nb...

Recently the USA established new rules relating to certain Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STECs) which require the application of HACCP to manage the risks associated with these STECs....

A trial was conducted to assess efficiencies across a range of input parameters from the introduction of an alternative dry manual cleaning program in beef chillers to the intensive cleaning procedu...

Beef tripe processing is commonly a two-step process using centrifuges in series wherein; the tripe is scalded and blanched with significant amounts of warm/hot water in the first centrifuge; and th...

A strategic priority for the red meat industry is to improve the tenderness and colour of beef and sheep meat. Conventional applications of ultrasound such as medical imaging, cleaning and measuring...

The high consumption of water associated with many activities in abattoir operations is a key environmental issue.Water is used for the watering and washing of livestock, the washing of trucks, the ...

The meat industry professional development program enables MINTRAC to establish suitable models of delivery and assessment, a body of competent trainers, appropriate support materials and ...

This manual can be used as a resource for accredited and in-house training as well as being a manual for wastewater treatment operators. It contains guidelines for the day-to-day management and oper...

The purpose of these Red Meat Procesing Industry Guidelines is to provide an industry-wide approach towards greenhouse and energy inventory calculations that is consistent with the principles of the...

The purpose of this project has been to develop accredited training programs to assist meat processing plants to meet their National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) requirements. The project ...

This is the final design report for the Biosolids TPAD Demonstration plant constructed and operated as part of MLA/AMPC project A.ENV.0099. The project was a collaboration between The University of ...

Biosecurity has become a major concern to the agriculture industry as a result of foreign and emerging endemic and exotic disease issues, the globalisation of agricultural and increasing public conc...

This ex-ante study estimates the improvement in value created by electrical stimulation over no stimulation for beef and lamb carcases. It also compares the difference in value between fixed do...

Capturing biogas from covered anaerobic lagoons (CALs) provides a valuable fuel source and greatly reduces carbon emissions. This project aimed to increase knowledge on the start-up and no...

AMPC and AMIC have developed the Red Meat Processing Industry Climate Change Strategy which is designed to place the industry on a pathway towards a sustainable future and minimise the impacts of cl...

Water will be in critically short supply for more than a third of the earth's population during the 21st century. By solving our own problems, as well as we will not only help Australia - we can als...

Twelve MINTRAC Training Network meetings were held during 2011-2012, in the states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, attracting strong indust...

For nearly two decades, the red meat processing industry and other key scientific organisations have invested in, developed, delivered and published a wide range of research outcome literature inclu...

The following details have been summarised from the report provided by the Environmental Biotechnology CRC Pty Limited, entitled "Solids digestion pilot study at Teys Bros Beenleigh (Extension), MLA...

This report describes the findings and recommendations of a project carried out by Occum Enterprises Pty Ltd from June 2011 to February 2012. As described in the research agreement between the two o...

The SmartStim 2 system development was initially undertaken as project “Modular and wireless control system for SmartStim technology” to develop modular hardware for a wireless...

During 2012, AMPC and MLA funded a project to develop accredited training programs to assist meat processing plants to meet their National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) requirements. T...

AMPC is a founder member of the National Primary Industries Animal Welfare Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Strategy, is a component of the National Primary Industries RD&...

Meat destined for export to the US and other countries must be tested and deemed free of E. coli O157 prior to being released into commerce. The current approach for testing for E. coli O157 in meat...

A key issue to consider when looking at water efficiency projects is the total cost of water. Most sites look only at the cost of supply, but there are other costs which can be just as significant, ...

Handling skills are essential for managing livestock. Good livestock handling can minimise stress and injury; improve time and effort required to move animals; reduce stress for both people and...

GHD Hassall completed, on behalf of Animal Health Australia, a benefit-cost analysis of the potential implementation of an E-Surveillance system on the small stock chain of Australian ...

Wastewater treatment ponds are the preferred method for treating rural municipal wastewater and agricultural wastewater in Australia due to their simplicity to build and operate (Laginestra&nbs...

MLA and its partners have successfully developed a process and formula for a B5, B20 and B100 Biodiesel additive. The additive overcomes crystallisation and cloud-point issues associated with t...

In 1999, the red meat industry made a decision to encourage undergraduates into our industry by funding them to do 3 month vocation projects prior to starting their final year of study. These projec...

Approximately 20 - 33% of the total water use in modern meat processing plants is consumed for plant and equipment cleaning, which occurs on a daily basis to ensure food hygiene. Despite the best in...

The five-year period since the 2003 Environmental Performance Review (EPR), was one of the major impacts on the red meat processing (RMP) sector. Major influences and drivers impacting the sector in...

The AMPC 2010/11 Environment programme, as part of their CPRS initiative, proposed the development of a roadmap to create a knowledge centre for abattoir wastewater treatment, with a focus on Anaero...

The twelve Training Network meetings held during 2011-2012 discussed a range of industry research and development outcomes, new regulations and their implications for the training system. ...

This study has confirmed that thermal processes such as pyrolysis, gasification and combustion are technically viable for the processing of abattoir solid wastes, particularly paunch waste and DAF s...

Consumers choose to buy meat primarily by visual appearance. A meat cut red in colour is more likely to be sold than a cut brown in color forcing the retailers to discount the prices of discolored m...

Murdoch University scientist Peter McGilchrist, of Beaconsfield, has received the Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC) Award worth $22,000 to pursue an innovative scientific theory...

Major research is underway to improve abattoir waste management practises, reduce disposal costs, minimise fossil fuel consumption and investigate the potential for abattoir’s to produce ...

In mid 2009 AMIC entered into an agreement with Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), the Federal Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and the Australian Meat Processing Corporatio...

The increasing pressure nationally on water supply resources and the environmental impact of discharging wastewaters has placed a high priority on the need to use non-conventional water sources. Non...

The manner in which livestock are mustered, yarded, handled, transported, restrained, slaughtered, and exsanguinated can affect their welfare and final meat quality. Welfare requirements dictate tha...

Environmental Best Practice Objectives Achieve operation in compliance with statutory and licence conditions applicable to the plant Minimise the generation of solid waste and recycle or re...

Environmental best practice for odour and air quality requires: Operation in compliance with statutory and licence conditions applicable to the plant Operation to minimise impact on surroun...

Electricity prices are expected to rise by 1.5 to 3 times their current price in the next ten years as a result of aging infrastructure, growing peak demand and the inclusion of a carbon cost. Elect...

Cogeneration is the combined production of electricity and thermal energy (heating and/or cooling) from the one fuel source. Thermal energy can be produced as hot water, steam or cold water via abso...

The Energy Efficiency Opportunities Program was established by the Federal Government to ensure that the largest energy using corporate groups in Australia were reporting on their energy use and inv...

Environmental Objectives Comply with all relevant legislation and regulations Efficient consumption of energy resources thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions Demand management to red...

Tolsat Pty Ltd T/A Eversons Food Processors (EFP) created a Human Resources Manager’s position in August 2008. 

The prime objective of this project was to conduct a full-scale technical, commercial and environmental assessment of dewatered paunch waste co-combustion, using the existing sawdust-fired boiler at...

Current best practice in water usage for medium to large integrated export meat processing plants is 5 - 7 kL water/tonne HSCW. It is challenging to further reduce water usage, and involved consider...

The meat processing industry requires large quantities of water, much of which is discharged as wastewater containing high levels of COD and nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Over t...

This report builds on previous projects for the MLA that have separately assessed the renewable energy and energy efficiency potential in the industry, focusing on particular waste streams or genera...

This report will provide information that can be used to build on future investigations and options relating to energy use and efficiencies within the red meat processing sector.

Environmental Objectives Protection of surface waters Protection of groundwater Protection of soil integrity / structure   Possible Environmental Impacts Nutrient...

Under the Federal Government's proposed carbon pollution reduction scheme (CPRS), the larger Australian meat processing plants will have an obligation to purchase permits equivalent to their carbon ...

Energy consumption in the form of hot water, electricity and gas is a major cost for meat processing plants and is a focus of greenhouse gas emission concerns in Australia. Midfield Meats has signed...

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) appointed Golder Associates Pty Ltd (Golder) on 18 March 2009 to carry out a review of the availability and reliability of geomembrane covers to anaerobi...

Against a background of rising energy prices and increasing concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) commissioned the current Red Meat Processing Industry Ene...

The extended drought, and the probability of climate change causing more frequent drought periods, has resulted in a drive within the Australian meat industry to reduce water consumption at mea...

In November 2007 Teys Bros commissioned a study to collect and collate information on water and waste flows in their Beenleigh meat processing facility and to estimate contaminant loads emitted by t...

The antimicrobial activity of acidified sodium chlorite is attributed to the oxidative effect of chlorous acid, which is derived from the conversion of chlorite ion into its acid form under acidic c...

Meat & Livestock Australia Limited (MLA) has developed a financial model (the Model) for the purpose of evaluating the likely direct cost impacts of the Australian Government’s propos...

This project was initiated to determine the carbon footprint of the Wagstaff Cranbourne (Ralphs) sites at Cranbourne and Garfield. The data collected was in line with requirements for the new Nation...

Environmental managers within the meat processing industry have identified a need for “a quantum leap in technology and/or practice (associated with plant cleaning) so that food hygiene standa...

The following tables provide an overview of the outcomes of the carbon footprint project. 

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) commissioned The Odour Unit Pty Limited (TOU) to undertake a study to assess the degree to which an equivalence relationship can be formulated between an Electroni...

This report has been prepared using industry average data obtained from work funded by AMPC & MLA Industry Environment Program and was designed to calculate indicative impacts of emissions tradi...

This review examines the water quality and quantity requirements of meat processing, the wastewater quality and quantity produced, and how the wastewater can be treated to allow recycling or reuse w...

Thomas Foods International (TFI) have installed Australia’s first Ammonia Heat Pump (AHP) that turns waste heat rejected from refrigeration plant into 75°C water to offset boiler use. The ...

This report presents the results of the review of the paunch management practices commenced at the Tasman Group Service Pty Ltd (TGS) meat processing facility located in Longford, Tasmania in April ...

This feasibility study was done to treat abattoir wastewater at TMC using integrated aquaculture approach for culturing fish of commercial importance. The work was undertaken in 3 stages: 1) a preli...

This report addresses the requirements of Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) Project PRENV.018, ‘Determination of Meat Industry Odour Thresholds’. The Odour Unit Pty Limited (TOU), in...

This report is the final report that presents the results of Stage 1 & 2 of Project PRENV.009, ‘Biological Phosphorus Removal for Meat Processing Plants’. A literature review perf...

The normal operation of meat processing plants produces a warm wastewater with naturally high levels of COD, total nitrogen and phosphorus, total suspended solids and fats, oils and grease. The remo...

Anaerobic ponds comprise a cost effective method of reducing chemical oxygen demand (COD) and five day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentrations in meat process wastewater prior to release to a...

The primary aim of this benchmarking project is to help achieve environmental best practice in the red meat processing industry. The environment benchmarking criteria established in this project ...

The scope of this study was to identify and provide information about waste to energy technologies and assess their likely suitability for solid wet wastes generated by the red meat proces...

Rendering produces two major environmental impacts which are serious, costly issues for the industry: Process odour emissions. Waste water treatment and disposal.

Following the release of the White Paper, Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme: Australia’s Low Pollution Future, the Commonwealth Government is introducing a bill to Parliament for the impl...

The meat industry has to deal with a number of environmental challenges. This includes responsible wastewater treatment and disposal to prevent land and water pollution. A well-designed an...

This report presents a brief outline of the results. The full report can be obtained from MLA upon request. 

After considering the existing literature and information on the chemical composition of meat processing odours (RPDA.303), chemical mixtures that had odours of meat rendering plants were formulated...

A pilot scale Electrocoagulation (EC) unit (supplied, commissioned and trialed by EC Pacific Pty Limited, Sydney) capable of treating approximately 10 kilolitres/hour (kL/h) was installed at Burrang...

In 1998 then environmental performance of nine medium to large integrated meat processing plants throughout Australia was studied. The findings from this investigation resulted in industry recognise...