Page 59 - FoodFocusThailand No.207 JUNE 2023

SMART PRODUCTION

Choice Grade: Should contain at least 50%
chicken meat in its main ingredient and mixed
with other meat-substituting ingredients, such
as soy protein, protein from egg whites, etc. The fatty
content usually comes from chicken fat, skin, or other
fatty by-products. Popular casings for this grade are
natural or cellulose casings. This particular grade also
uses starch as an ingredient in a higher proportion than
premium-grade sausages. The resulting product will
have softness, springiness, and juiciness. It is usually
packed in small to medium size packages of about
300-1,000 grams and distributed to emphasize modern
trade channels and general convenience stores.

1. Hen Meat, or meat obtained from egg-laying chickens
waiting to be retired, has a low cost. The breeder chicken meat
is characterized by high fibrous connective tissues, a considerable
amount of tendons, and dark red meat. The raw material producer
needs to trim the tendons before they can be used for production,
as the tendons tend to reduce emulsification efficiency.
Additionally, the hen meat has a lower water retention rate than
general broilers, thereby reducing at least 5-6% of the amount
of water in the chicken meat. Therefore, if the producers want to
increase the water retention capability, the phosphate content
may have to be increased to 0.5% in the formulation of hen meat,

Economy Grade: It has a low chicken meat
ratio of about 40-49 percent, or even may be
lower and often mixed with other by-products
obtained from trimmings and commonly used plastic
casings. This economy-grade sausage contains a
high starch content, so it is suitable for frying to get a
crispy-on-the-outside and soft-on-the-inside texture.
Its appearance and taste can also create product
variety, whether red sausages, vanilla-flavored
sausages, cheese-flavored sausages, or jumbo
sausages, to make the product even more attractive.
Due to its relatively low cost, it is usually packed in
large packages, about 1-5 kilograms per pack, and
focuses on distribution at wholesale stores, markets,
or vending carts.

Reduce Cost without Sacrificing Quality
Economy-grade sausages have the highest market
share, followed by choice and premium grades.
Producers who intend to compete for a stake in the
low-cost sausage market must encounter a price war;
therefore, they must find raw materials and
ingredients to reduce production costs while maintaining
the sausage’s texture. Below are some examples of
raw materials and ingredients that will help
manufacturers save their production costs to compete
in this market.

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