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The Industry and Process of Animal Proteins - Trenton, NJ
The Rendering Industry
The rendering industry has and continues to be closely integrated with animal and meat production in countries where these industries are well established. On a global perspective, rendering provides an important service to society and the animal feeding industries by processing approximately 60 million tons per year of animal by-products derived from the meat and animal production industries. During slaughter and processing, between 33 and 43 percent by weight of the live animal is removed and discarded as inedible waste. These materials, which include fat trim, meat, viscera, bone, blood and feathers are collected and processed by the rendering industry to produce high quality fats and proteins that have traditionally been used in the animal feed and oleochemical industries around the world. Without the rendering industry, the accumulation of unprocessed animal byproducts would impede the meat industries and pose a serious potential hazard to animal and human health.
One definition of rendering is to 'clarify or purify by melting' (heat processing). Unprocessed animal by-products may contain 60 percent or more water.
The primary reasons for using heat when processing these raw materials are to remove the moisture and facilitate fat separation. Desiccation significantly reduces the total volume from 60 million tons of raw material to about 8 million tons of animal proteins and 8.2 million tons of rendered fats. Stored properly, these finished products are stable for long periods of time. Heat processing also benefits the finished product customer. The temperatures used (115° to 145° C) are more than sufficient to kill bacteria, viruses and many other micro-organisms, to produce an aseptic protein product that is free of potential biohazards and environmental threats. Done correctly, heat processing also denatures the proteins slightly, which enhances their digestibility.
Rendered Products - Nutritional Value
Animal products include meat and bone meal, blood meal, poultry by-product meal (poultry meal) and feather meal. These are all concentrated sources of protein and amino acids and some are also good sources of vitamins and essential minerals.
This makes them important feed ingredients for livestock, poultry and companion animals in the United States and many other countries of the world. Meat and bone meal, blood meal, feather meal and poultry meal are suitable for use in feeds for a wide range of animal species, including fish and shrimp.
More than two million tons of meat and bone meal and poultry meal combined are used annually by the United States feed industry alone. Animal proteins have traditionally been important sources of proteins and other nutrients for livestock and poultry in the United States and their acceptance in Latin America and Asia has grown substantially in the past five years. Animal proteins are also used extensively in pet foods. About 1.5 million tons of meat and bone meal and poultry meal is used by the United States pet food industry each year. The use of non-marine animal proteins in aquaculture feeds is a relatively new practice, but this application is expected to continue to grow, especially as competition and prices for fishmeal increase.
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