Middle East                                 ...

Middle East                                                                                

Changed Shelf Life Requirement Opens The Way To Increased Variety Meat Exports To Egypt

The impact of a joint USMEF-Colorado State University (CSU) study on the shelf life of beef variety meat is starting to show up in rising U.S. exports to Egypt.

USMEF and CSU researched the effects of frozen storage on color, flavor, protein, quality and safety of U.S. beef livers, hearts and kidneys. With the strong support of USDA, the results of this study prompted Egypt to ease its restrictions on shelf life of U.S. beef products, providing U.S. exporters with more flexibility.

The study determined there were harmless amounts of protein degradation, lipid oxidation and overall rancidity of frozen livers, hearts and kidneys stored up to 320 days – or almost 10 months.

USMEF presented the study and results to the Egyptian government in November 2005. Based on this meeting, Egypt changed shelf-life requirements for hearts and kidneys in May 2006 from four months to seven months. Egypt also removed requirements that product had to reach the country with 50 percent of its shelf life remaining and product had to be shipped within two months of production.

“This research opened up the market and now we are starting to see the results in beef variety meat export growth,” said USMEF Senior Vice President, Export Services Paul Clayton.

Statistics reported through the first three months of this year show U.S. beef variety meat exports to Egypt increased 48 percent from the same period last year to 20,718 metric tons (mt) valued at $17.4 million. Of that total, U.S. beef livers increased 52 percent to 19,556 mt while kidneys and hearts have increased from zero in the first three months last year to 1,000 mt of kidneys and 167 mt of hearts this year. This increase is a direct result of the extended shelf requirement.

 

Middle East                                                                                

Changed Shelf Life Requirement Opens The Way To Increased Variety Meat Exports To Egypt

The impact of a joint USMEF-Colorado State University (CSU) study on the shelf life of beef variety meat is starting to show up in rising U.S. exports to Egypt.

USMEF and CSU researched the effects of frozen storage on color, flavor, protein, quality and safety of U.S. beef livers, hearts and kidneys. With the strong support of USDA, the results of this study prompted Egypt to ease its restrictions on shelf life of U.S. beef products, providing U.S. exporters with more flexibility.

The study determined there were harmless amounts of protein degradation, lipid oxidation and overall rancidity of frozen livers, hearts and kidneys stored up to 320 days – or almost 10 months.

USMEF presented the study and results to the Egyptian government in November 2005. Based on this meeting, Egypt changed shelf-life requirements for hearts and kidneys in May 2006 from four months to seven months. Egypt also removed requirements that product had to reach the country with 50 percent of its shelf life remaining and product had to be shipped within two months of production.

“This research opened up the market and now we are starting to see the results in beef variety meat export growth,” said USMEF Senior Vice President, Export Services Paul Clayton.

Statistics reported through the first three months of this year show U.S. beef variety meat exports to Egypt increased 48 percent from the same period last year to 20,718 metric tons (mt) valued at $17.4 million. Of that total, U.S. beef livers increased 52 percent to 19,556 mt while kidneys and hearts have increased from zero in the first three months last year to 1,000 mt of kidneys and 167 mt of hearts this year. This increase is a direct result of the extended shelf requirement.