Across the industry, many of the basic slaughter processes and techniques have remained the same.

Oven, fryer and smokehouse equipment suppliers continually are improving the design to minimize the gap between what processors want their cooking equipment to do and what the machines are capable of doing.

Antimicrobial solutions are used to reduce contaminants on raw foods such as meats, vegetables and fruits.

The sooner one finds out a food product meets quality and safety requirements, the sooner it can be sold.

Yield is key to profitability. Just as in other areas of processing, cutting and deboning have a direct impact on yield and, in turn, quality.

For processors, cleanly sliced proteins mean no tearing, smearing, or frayed and torn edges, in addition to no separation from core binding within the slices.

Meat and poultry portion sizes are on the radar of many consumers when they are shopping and even when they are dining out.

Every year, stricter wastewater restrictions push processors to advance their wastewater-treatment systems.

Processors can’t take a hands-off approach to employee hygiene.

Lubricants are used to loosen moving parts in processing equipment to protect against wear and corrosion, to disperse heat produced by friction and to offer sealing.