This thesis explores how Mexican fresh produce supply chains have responded to US bio-security regulations designed to prevent the intentional and accidental contamination of imported food. It explores the compliance processes, which are theorised using a framework drawn from the Resource-Based View (RBV) and the Supply Chain Governance (SCG) literatures. The constructs developed herein regarding capabilities and supply chain ‘governance structures' complement previous Regulation Studies (RS) explaining compliance behaviour. The thesis analysed 12 case studies, and tested causal conditions of compliance using a multi-value Qualitative Comparative Analysis (mvQCA) method. The main results show: 1) the pathways to meet the regulatory requirements; 2) the limited diversity of capabilities associated with higher levels of compliance; and 3) the importance of tight supply chain coordination to source and exchange knowledge for compliance, regardless of how or who governs the supply chain. The thesis contributes to various academic debates. It removes the RVB assumptions that resources and capabilities are intrinsically valuable and complementary, and therefore contributes towards making the theory less tautological. It shows how SCG benefits when the effects of supply chain integration and coordination are examined independently. It differentiates between firms lacking willingness and firms lacking capabilities to comply, making it possible to define suitable regulatory strategies for each type of firm. The thesis makes a methodological contribution as it is one of the first studies applying the mvQCA in Science, Technology and Innovations Studies (STIs). The new methodology is used here to test the causal conditions of compliance, but can also be applied to innovative performance more generally. The thesis concludes by showing how US regulations were effective in achieving their regulatory aims without significant negative consequences, and suggesting that STI regulatory policies can be used to increase business engagement to prevent the intentional and accidental contamination of the food chain.

A quitosana é um biopolímero produzido a partir da quitina, presente na casca de crustáceos. O grande interesse nesta substância é atribuído à sua diversidade de aplicações industriais. A quitosana utilizada neste estudo foi quimicamente modificada para tornar-se solúvel em água. Estudou-se a estabilidade de emulsões de d-limoneno com esta quitosana, a retenção e liberação do aroma contido nas microcápsulas liofilizadas e o comportamento higroscópico destas microcápsulas. Os mesmos estudos foram realizados com maltodextrina, para comparação, já que é um produto muito utilizado como agente de encapsulação de aromas. A estabilidade das emulsões foi analisada por espectrofotometria e por cromatografia gasosa associada à técnica da análise do espaço livre. As emulsões foram caracterizadas por microscopia óptica. A análise da liberação do aroma contido nas microcápsulas foi realizada em função da umidade relativa do ambiente e da temperatura. Observou-se boa estabilidade de emulsões de d-limoneno com quitosana succinilada ao longo do tempo e características muito distintas em relação às observadas nas outras emulsões. Verificou-se 72% de retenção de d-limoneno em maltodextrina (40% p/p) e 62% de retenção de d-limoneno em quitosana modificada (1% p/p) após o processo de liofilização, sendo que durante todas as etapas do processo de encapsulação a perda de aroma em maltodextrina foi de 72%, enquanto em quitosana modificada foi de 50%. As microcápsulas de maltodextrina sofreram colapso estrutural em ambiente de 90% de umidade relativa. Os valores de umidades de monocamada das microcápsulas decaíram com o aumento da temperatura. O calor total de sorção de microcápsulas de quitosana modificada apresentou-se superior, assim como seu coeficiente de difusividade. A área superficial dos poros de microcápsulas de quitosana modificada apresentou-se superior, absorvendo água por capilares. Conclui-se que microcápsulas de quitosana modificada podem apresentar-se como uma nova opção na escolha de agentes de encapsulação de aromas. / Chitosan is a biopolymer derived from chitin, a component of the shells of crustaceans. It has been of interest due to their broad range of industrial applications. In this study, the chitosan used was chemically modified in order to become water soluble. It was studied the stability of d-limonene emulsion with modified chitosan, flavour retention and release and the hygroscopic behaviour of the microcapsules. The same tests were made with maltodextrin that is a product widely used as a flavour encapsulating agent. The stability of the emulsion was analyzed by spectrofotometry and by headspace/gas chromatography technique. The emulsion characterization was obtained by optical microscopy. Flavour release of microcapsules was measured under different relatives humidities and temperatures. It was observed an improvement on the stability of d-limonene emulsion with modified chitosan along the time and different characteristics in relation to the other. Retention of d-limonene after lyophilization in maltodextrin (40% w/w) was 72% and 62% in modified chitosan (1% w/w). Although, flavour released after encapsulation process in maltodextrin was 72% while in modified chitosan was 50%. Maltodextrin microcapsules presented structural collapse in 90% of relative humidity. The humidity monolayers decreased with temperature increasing for both microcapsules. The heat of sorption for the chitosan microcapsules was greater as well as its diffusivity coefficient. Its pore superficial area was greater. It was observed that chitosan microcapsules absorb water by capilariy absorption. The results suggest that chitosan microcapsules could be a new option of flavour encapsulating agent.

As formigas andarilhas têm adquirido uma notoriedade científica graças aos trabalhos realizados desde a década de 70 quando foi constatada a presença de patógenos nas amostras de formigas coletadas de ambientes hospitalares. Os trabalhos elaborados a partir de então relataram a presença dos gêneros Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella e Enterobacter nesses ambientes além de outros microrganismos patogênicos de importância. No entanto, pouco conhecimento foi produzido a partir da sua presença em ambientes em que se manipulam e produzem alimentos para consumo humano. As formigas andarilhas têm sido observadas com freqüência em domicílios, áreas de manipulação e fabrico de alimentos asism como em Unidades de Alimentação e se constituem em uma das principais queixas de consumidores. O presente estudo procurou verificar quais os patógenos de importância para a indústria de alimentos encontrados em formigas coletadas em Unidades de Alimentação. As coletas foram feitas em meio de cultura Agar sangue e os isolamentos nos seguintes meios de cultura:Baird Parker para Staphylococcus, Sulfito de Bismuto para Salmonella e Agar MacConkey para enterobactérias. Os resultados demonstraram a presença de S. aureus e de enterobactérias provenientes de amostras de formigas coletadas em Unidades de Alimentação na região da Grande São Paulo, sugerindo que as formigas andarilhas podem ser importantes vetores de microrganismos de relevância e que interfiram na higidez dos alimentos. / Tramp ants have been scientific recognized due to the investigations conducted since 1970 when pathogens were for the first time encountered in ant samples collected from hospital environments. The surveys conducted since then state the presence of important microorganisms such as Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella and Enterobacter. However, very little knowledge has been produced in regards to food preparation areas. Tramp ants have been frequently detected in houses, food preparation areas as well as in industrial and commercial restaurants and are considered as one of the most important pests nowadays. The present survey investigated the food industry important pathogens found in tramp species that were collected from industrial restaurants. The samples were obtained with agar blood plaque baits and were later incubated in several culture means: Baird Parker for Staphylococcus, Bismut Sulfit for Salmonella and MacKonkey for enterobacteria. The results show the presence of S. aureus and enterobacteria in the ant samples collected from the industrial restaurant environment in São Paulo, Brazil. These results indicate the tramp ants can be important mechanical vectors of relevant pathogens for the food industry.

O processo acelerado de obtenção da carne oferece grande vantagem à indústria, podendo encurtar alguns estágios de produção através da combinação de técnicas como a estimulação elétrica de carcaças, a desossa a quente e a marinação. O presente estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar a forma de desossa e o tipo de marinação em corte do músculo traseiro de bovinos (coxão duro) da raça Nelore. Determinou-se o efeito da desossa a quente e a frio e o efeito da salmoura de marinação, uma contendo 1,6% (250mM) de cloreto de cálcio e 2,4% de cloreto de sódio e outra com 1,8% de tripolifosfato de sódio e 2,4% de cloreto de sódio. Foram realizadas análises que incluíram a composição centesimal, teor de colágeno, pH, cor objetiva, textura objetiva (força de cisalhamento), perda de peso no cozimento e avaliação de maciez, suculência e sabor em cada músculo analisado. A marinação reduziu a força de cisalhamento, assim como aumentou a maciez e a suculência avaliadas pela equipe sensorial. Por outro lado a força de cisalhamento foi reduzida com a desossa quente e a maciez e a suculência aumentadas pela desossa frio. A cor foi o atributo mais afetado negativamente pelo processo de marinação, o valor a* e b* apresentou redução indicando escurecimento do vermelho, especialmente com a salmoura contendo cloreto de cálcio. A desossa interferiu no valor de a* e b* após o descongelamento indicando uma diminuição de a* e de b* na desossa quente. A desossa a quente poderá ser aplicada com sucesso em cortes bovinos provenientes de carcaças estimuladas eletricamente a baixa voltagem, sem provocar alterações negativas nos cortes. A marinação com salmoura contendo cloreto de sódio e tripolifosfato podem melhorar sensivelmente a maioria dos atributos avaliados, mas provoca alterações marcantes na cor. / The accelerated process to obtain meat offer advantages to the meat industry, and can reduce some of the stages of production through electrical stimulation of carcass, hot boning and enhancement process. In this work muscles from top round (Bíceps femoris) from Nelore steers were deboned using conventional and hot processing and marinated. The effect of deboning process and two brine solutions containing 1,6% calcium chloride and 2,4% sodium chloride and 1,8% sodium tripolyphosphate and 2,4% sodium chloride were evaluated. Proximate percent composition, collagen, pH, colour, texture (Warner Bratzler shear force), cooking loss, tenderness, juiciness and flavor in each muscle were analysed. Enhacement process reduced shear force value, increased tenderness and juiciness from sensory panel. Otherwise the shear force was reduced with hot deboned and tenderness and juiciness reduced by conventional deboning. Colour analysis was affected by enhancement process, a* and b* value showed decreased indicating darkness red colour, specially with calcium chloride brine. Hot deboning can be succesfully used in beef meat in addition to low electrical stimulaton carcass without negative alteration in meat. Enhancement process with calcium chloride, sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium chloride can improve the major of analysed attributes, but provoke colour modifications.

“Local,” “organic,” “natural,” and “Fairtrade” are just several of the many claims adorning the food products that line grocery store shelves. These promises of environmental sustainability and social responsibility are pillars of the “good food revolution” sweeping the nation as consumers demand alternatives to the products of the industrial food system. Green consumerism, the premise that consumer demand for environmentally sustainable goods will bring about ecologically beneficial outcomes, is at the heart of the sustainable food movement. This thesis takes a critical look at the operation of green consumerism in the food system. It explores the ideology and shortcomings of neoliberal consumer-citizenship that informs the “vote with your fork” rhetoric promoted throughout alternative food markets. Examining the plant-based foods movement as a case study, it attempts to shed light on aspects of food production that are obscured by the promises of “conscious consumption,” such as environmental impacts, accessibility, and reinforcement of the dominant dietary and patriarchal paradigm. Ultimately, the emphasis on consumerism as a means to remedy the failures of the industrial food system instead perpetuates social inequalities and environmental exploitation while relieving powerful institutions and the public of the responsibility to enact significant change. This thesis concludes with recommendations for a multi-sectored approach to the good food revolution that incorporates government, corporate, and grassroots action to bring about a truly sustainable food system.

A new product, pork sticks, was developed. Optimum shelf life and safety were major concerns associated with this product. Potassium lactate (3%) or citric acid (0.5%, 0.56%, 0.60% or 0.66%) was added to pork sticks to determine their effects on microbial growth, sensory evaluation, and shelf life when stored frozen (-20°C), refrigerated (2°C), or at room temperature (22°C). Two raw materials, pork blade meat (shoulder meat; 91% lean, 9% fat) and regular 80:20 pork trim (80% lean, 20% fat) were used. The consumer panel preferred lean pork sticks made from blade meat over high-fat pork sticks made from regular 80:20 pork trim, regardless of the addition of potassium lactate (3%) or citric acid (0.5%). Pork sticks vacuum-packaged and held at 2°C or -20°C did not develop bacterial spoilage during six months storage. However, bacterial spoilage and oxidative rancidity occurred in the unpackaged control samples held at 22°C for one month. Incorporation of potassium lactate (3%) or citric acid (0.5%) decreased the color uniformity and red color intensity and increased the brown color intensity of the pork sticks made from blade meat. Vacuum-packaged pork sticks with added citric acid (0.56%, 0.60% and 0.66%) stored at 22°C did not develop bacterial spoilage, but discoloration occurred after one month storage.

Richmond Ltd. has recently undergone a change in strategy, away from the traditional commodity based meat industry, towards the modern food business. To do this, opportunities to add value to their current product range must be identified. This involves the conversion of traditionally low value commodity based products into products that demand a premium. An example of this is converting muscles that are currently used for grinding meat into a further processed convenience food (i.e. ready meals). Another method is to add further value to premium products by making them more appealing to consumers (i.e. nutritional information on labels). This work details investigations into the functional properties of selected beef forequarter muscles (low value commodity products) and the nutritional properties of selected export lamb products (premium products). The functional properties of a number of beef forequarter muscles were measured to identify which had the best potential for further processing applications with respect to ready meals. The functional properties of tenderness, cook loss and shrinkage were measured for the Latissimus Dorsi, Pectorialis Profundus (Point End Brisket), Infraspinatus (Cross Cut Blade), Triceps Brachi Longhead (Main muscle in Bolar Shoulder Clod), Supraspinatus (Chuck Tender), Serratus Ventralis and Triceps Brachi Medialhead (Muscle in Bolar Shoulder Clod. From the tests conducted the Infraspinatus and the Triceps Brachi Longhead have been identified as having the best functional properties with respect to further processing for ready meal applications. As well as conducting tests to identify the forequarter muscles with the best potential for further processing applications, investigations were carried out to identify cooking regimes that would optimise the functional properties. This work confirmed that there are three major chemical reactions, which determine the resultant functional properties of cooked meat. They are the denaturation and aggregation of the myofibrillar proteins and the denaturation and solubilisation of connective tissue (collagen). At around 50°C myosin (45% to 50% of the myofibrillar proteins) denatures, which results in a substantial increase in cook loss and reduction in water holding capacity. At around 60°C collagen (main connective tissue protein) denatures, which results in a substantial increase in tenderness and increase in cook loss. This is because as the collagen denatures it loses it mechanical strength (increase in tenderness) and can no longer support its own structure, and causes it to contract. This contraction causes fluid within the meat and cook loss caused by the denaturation of myosin to be expelled from the meat by compressive forces (squeezed out). At around 70°C actomyosin (22% of the myofibrillar proteins) denatures. This results in a substantial increase in the cook loss and firming of the meat. The increase in cook loss or decrease in water holding capacity that occurs with myofibrillar protein denaturation is due to the fact that when these proteins denature and aggregate their ability to bind water is greatly reduced. From the results of the cooking regime trials it is recommended that for functional property considerations that during the cooking of further processed meat products (i.e. ready meal applications) a meat temperature of 62°C should be aimed for, for the slowest heating region during cooking (usually the centre). This is because it has been identified that a cooking temperature of 65°C should not be exceeded otherwise detrimental effects can occur to the functional properties of the cooked meat. For health concerns a 7D bacterial death reduction has to be achieved. This means that for a cooking temperature of 62°C the meat has to be held at this temperature for at least 5 minutes. Therefore the total cooking time would be the time needed to heat all the meat to 62°C plus 5 minutes to ensure a safe product. The heating or cooking system employed should also ensure that a minimal amount of the meat is heated above 65°C. This can be easily achieved by minimising the external cooking temperature, but long cooking times will result. An industrial cooking process will be a compromise between the cost associated with longer residence time and product functionality. As mentioned earlier another way to add value is to supply nutritional information for selected cuts. Consequentially one of the objectives of this project was to provide some nutritional information for selected meat cuts. Though the primary objective of this part of the project was to develop a method for producing the needed information, so that Richmond N.Z. Ltd. can develop further information on an as needs basis. The nutritional characteristics of a number of export lamb cuts from the saddle region has also been investigated and a method devised to allow further characterisation of other cuts. The method involves breaking down a standard cut into its constituent components (e.g. Frenched rack consists of loin eye, fat cap, intercostals and fatty tissue). The constituent components are tested for their nutritional properties. The frenched rack nutritional properties are calculated from the nutritional properties of the constituents components and the yield data (percentage of each constituent component within a frenched rack) for frenched racks. This method allowed the identification of the main sources of variation for nutritional characteristics. These differences were found to be caused by the lean to fat ratio, not nutritional differences in lean tissue from the same region of lamb (i.e. loin eye and tenderloin very similar nutritionally). The difference in lean to fat ration also accounts for the variation between grades (i.e. PX grade lamb cuts have a higher fat content than YX grade lamb cuts due to PX grade cuts having a higher percentage fat tissue in their cuts). The cuts characterised were the shortloin section (whole section or chop), rack section (whole section or chop), 75mm racks frenched 25mm, boneless loin and tenderloin for both PX and YX grade lamb. The method will be applicable to other regions of lamb (i.e. hindquarter and forequarter) for which nutritional information already exists, but for which yielding data will have to be collected. The method would also be applicable to other species such as beef and venison, but both nutritional data for constituent components and yielding data would have to be collected.

Richmond Ltd. has recently undergone a change in strategy, away from the traditional commodity based meat industry, towards the modern food business. To do this, opportunities to add value to their current product range must be identified. This involves the conversion of traditionally low value commodity based products into products that demand a premium. An example of this is converting muscles that are currently used for grinding meat into a further processed convenience food (i.e. ready meals). Another method is to add further value to premium products by making them more appealing to consumers (i.e. nutritional information on labels). This work details investigations into the functional properties of selected beef forequarter muscles (low value commodity products) and the nutritional properties of selected export lamb products (premium products). The functional properties of a number of beef forequarter muscles were measured to identify which had the best potential for further processing applications with respect to ready meals. The functional properties of tenderness, cook loss and shrinkage were measured for the Latissimus Dorsi, Pectorialis Profundus (Point End Brisket), Infraspinatus (Cross Cut Blade), Triceps Brachi Longhead (Main muscle in Bolar Shoulder Clod), Supraspinatus (Chuck Tender), Serratus Ventralis and Triceps Brachi Medialhead (Muscle in Bolar Shoulder Clod. From the tests conducted the Infraspinatus and the Triceps Brachi Longhead have been identified as having the best functional properties with respect to further processing for ready meal applications. As well as conducting tests to identify the forequarter muscles with the best potential for further processing applications, investigations were carried out to identify cooking regimes that would optimise the functional properties. This work confirmed that there are three major chemical reactions, which determine the resultant functional properties of cooked meat. They are the denaturation and aggregation of the myofibrillar proteins and the denaturation and solubilisation of connective tissue (collagen). At around 50°C myosin (45% to 50% of the myofibrillar proteins) denatures, which results in a substantial increase in cook loss and reduction in water holding capacity. At around 60°C collagen (main connective tissue protein) denatures, which results in a substantial increase in tenderness and increase in cook loss. This is because as the collagen denatures it loses it mechanical strength (increase in tenderness) and can no longer support its own structure, and causes it to contract. This contraction causes fluid within the meat and cook loss caused by the denaturation of myosin to be expelled from the meat by compressive forces (squeezed out). At around 70°C actomyosin (22% of the myofibrillar proteins) denatures. This results in a substantial increase in the cook loss and firming of the meat. The increase in cook loss or decrease in water holding capacity that occurs with myofibrillar protein denaturation is due to the fact that when these proteins denature and aggregate their ability to bind water is greatly reduced. From the results of the cooking regime trials it is recommended that for functional property considerations that during the cooking of further processed meat products (i.e. ready meal applications) a meat temperature of 62°C should be aimed for, for the slowest heating region during cooking (usually the centre). This is because it has been identified that a cooking temperature of 65°C should not be exceeded otherwise detrimental effects can occur to the functional properties of the cooked meat. For health concerns a 7D bacterial death reduction has to be achieved. This means that for a cooking temperature of 62°C the meat has to be held at this temperature for at least 5 minutes. Therefore the total cooking time would be the time needed to heat all the meat to 62°C plus 5 minutes to ensure a safe product. The heating or cooking system employed should also ensure that a minimal amount of the meat is heated above 65°C. This can be easily achieved by minimising the external cooking temperature, but long cooking times will result. An industrial cooking process will be a compromise between the cost associated with longer residence time and product functionality. As mentioned earlier another way to add value is to supply nutritional information for selected cuts. Consequentially one of the objectives of this project was to provide some nutritional information for selected meat cuts. Though the primary objective of this part of the project was to develop a method for producing the needed information, so that Richmond N.Z. Ltd. can develop further information on an as needs basis. The nutritional characteristics of a number of export lamb cuts from the saddle region has also been investigated and a method devised to allow further characterisation of other cuts. The method involves breaking down a standard cut into its constituent components (e.g. Frenched rack consists of loin eye, fat cap, intercostals and fatty tissue). The constituent components are tested for their nutritional properties. The frenched rack nutritional properties are calculated from the nutritional properties of the constituents components and the yield data (percentage of each constituent component within a frenched rack) for frenched racks. This method allowed the identification of the main sources of variation for nutritional characteristics. These differences were found to be caused by the lean to fat ratio, not nutritional differences in lean tissue from the same region of lamb (i.e. loin eye and tenderloin very similar nutritionally). The difference in lean to fat ration also accounts for the variation between grades (i.e. PX grade lamb cuts have a higher fat content than YX grade lamb cuts due to PX grade cuts having a higher percentage fat tissue in their cuts). The cuts characterised were the shortloin section (whole section or chop), rack section (whole section or chop), 75mm racks frenched 25mm, boneless loin and tenderloin for both PX and YX grade lamb. The method will be applicable to other regions of lamb (i.e. hindquarter and forequarter) for which nutritional information already exists, but for which yielding data will have to be collected. The method would also be applicable to other species such as beef and venison, but both nutritional data for constituent components and yielding data would have to be collected.

Richmond Ltd. has recently undergone a change in strategy, away from the traditional commodity based meat industry, towards the modern food business. To do this, opportunities to add value to their current product range must be identified. This involves the conversion of traditionally low value commodity based products into products that demand a premium. An example of this is converting muscles that are currently used for grinding meat into a further processed convenience food (i.e. ready meals). Another method is to add further value to premium products by making them more appealing to consumers (i.e. nutritional information on labels). This work details investigations into the functional properties of selected beef forequarter muscles (low value commodity products) and the nutritional properties of selected export lamb products (premium products). The functional properties of a number of beef forequarter muscles were measured to identify which had the best potential for further processing applications with respect to ready meals. The functional properties of tenderness, cook loss and shrinkage were measured for the Latissimus Dorsi, Pectorialis Profundus (Point End Brisket), Infraspinatus (Cross Cut Blade), Triceps Brachi Longhead (Main muscle in Bolar Shoulder Clod), Supraspinatus (Chuck Tender), Serratus Ventralis and Triceps Brachi Medialhead (Muscle in Bolar Shoulder Clod. From the tests conducted the Infraspinatus and the Triceps Brachi Longhead have been identified as having the best functional properties with respect to further processing for ready meal applications. As well as conducting tests to identify the forequarter muscles with the best potential for further processing applications, investigations were carried out to identify cooking regimes that would optimise the functional properties. This work confirmed that there are three major chemical reactions, which determine the resultant functional properties of cooked meat. They are the denaturation and aggregation of the myofibrillar proteins and the denaturation and solubilisation of connective tissue (collagen). At around 50°C myosin (45% to 50% of the myofibrillar proteins) denatures, which results in a substantial increase in cook loss and reduction in water holding capacity. At around 60°C collagen (main connective tissue protein) denatures, which results in a substantial increase in tenderness and increase in cook loss. This is because as the collagen denatures it loses it mechanical strength (increase in tenderness) and can no longer support its own structure, and causes it to contract. This contraction causes fluid within the meat and cook loss caused by the denaturation of myosin to be expelled from the meat by compressive forces (squeezed out). At around 70°C actomyosin (22% of the myofibrillar proteins) denatures. This results in a substantial increase in the cook loss and firming of the meat. The increase in cook loss or decrease in water holding capacity that occurs with myofibrillar protein denaturation is due to the fact that when these proteins denature and aggregate their ability to bind water is greatly reduced. From the results of the cooking regime trials it is recommended that for functional property considerations that during the cooking of further processed meat products (i.e. ready meal applications) a meat temperature of 62°C should be aimed for, for the slowest heating region during cooking (usually the centre). This is because it has been identified that a cooking temperature of 65°C should not be exceeded otherwise detrimental effects can occur to the functional properties of the cooked meat. For health concerns a 7D bacterial death reduction has to be achieved. This means that for a cooking temperature of 62°C the meat has to be held at this temperature for at least 5 minutes. Therefore the total cooking time would be the time needed to heat all the meat to 62°C plus 5 minutes to ensure a safe product. The heating or cooking system employed should also ensure that a minimal amount of the meat is heated above 65°C. This can be easily achieved by minimising the external cooking temperature, but long cooking times will result. An industrial cooking process will be a compromise between the cost associated with longer residence time and product functionality. As mentioned earlier another way to add value is to supply nutritional information for selected cuts. Consequentially one of the objectives of this project was to provide some nutritional information for selected meat cuts. Though the primary objective of this part of the project was to develop a method for producing the needed information, so that Richmond N.Z. Ltd. can develop further information on an as needs basis. The nutritional characteristics of a number of export lamb cuts from the saddle region has also been investigated and a method devised to allow further characterisation of other cuts. The method involves breaking down a standard cut into its constituent components (e.g. Frenched rack consists of loin eye, fat cap, intercostals and fatty tissue). The constituent components are tested for their nutritional properties. The frenched rack nutritional properties are calculated from the nutritional properties of the constituents components and the yield data (percentage of each constituent component within a frenched rack) for frenched racks. This method allowed the identification of the main sources of variation for nutritional characteristics. These differences were found to be caused by the lean to fat ratio, not nutritional differences in lean tissue from the same region of lamb (i.e. loin eye and tenderloin very similar nutritionally). The difference in lean to fat ration also accounts for the variation between grades (i.e. PX grade lamb cuts have a higher fat content than YX grade lamb cuts due to PX grade cuts having a higher percentage fat tissue in their cuts). The cuts characterised were the shortloin section (whole section or chop), rack section (whole section or chop), 75mm racks frenched 25mm, boneless loin and tenderloin for both PX and YX grade lamb. The method will be applicable to other regions of lamb (i.e. hindquarter and forequarter) for which nutritional information already exists, but for which yielding data will have to be collected. The method would also be applicable to other species such as beef and venison, but both nutritional data for constituent components and yielding data would have to be collected.

A multistage production system consists of a number of production stages that are interrelated, that is the output from one stage forms input to the next stage. There are constraints associated with each stage as well as constraints imposed by the overall system. Besides, there are multiple objectives that need to be satisfied, and in numerous cases, these objectives conflict with each other. What is required is an efficient technique to allocate and schedule resources so as to provide a balance between the conflicting objectives within the system constraints. This study is concerned with the problem of scheduling multistage production systems in food processing industry. The system and products have complex structure and relationships. This makes the system difficult to be solved analytically. Therefore, the problem is solved by developing a heuristic algorithm that considers most of the constraints. The output generated by the algorithm includes a production schedule which specifies the starting and completion times of the products in each stage and the machines where the products are to be processed. In addition, a summary of system performances including throughput times, resources' utilizations, and tardy products is reported. / Graduation date: 1992