AMPC worked together with EC Throsby to develop a fast-chilling process for their hot boning operation in Young NSW. The new process reduces the time taken to chill beef by more than 50 per cent. The Young processing plant delivers bulk chilled beef to domestic and export markets from a hot boning process. Usually, beef carcases are cooled before they get boned out. Hot boning occurs before cooling.
The project focused on trialing an in-line cooling system that can chill hot beef, after boning, in record times which exceeds food safety standards and delivers a high-quality chilled beef product with an extended shelf life.
The process has been in the making for nearly two years with AMPC Co-Innovation manager Dave Dwyer employees from EC Throsby starting with research. They looked at other countries who use a similar process. They then found a provider to loan their in-line cooling system so that trials could begin.
Following successful trials, EC Throsby partnered with BOC, and installed a state of the art in-line cooling system and the process went through stringent validation before being put to use.
EC Throsby Chief Executive Officer Mick Dorahy said, “This system of accelerating the chilling process of hot boned beef products has allowed us to become more efficient in delivering higher quality beef to our manufacturing customers and it has also allowed us to diversify our customer base.”
AMPC Co-Innovation Manager Dave Dwyer said, “EC Throsby is at the forefront of hot boning in Australia.”