Deboning Plant

[Sparta Foods (Pty) Ltd]

• Approximately 30% of the beef production (12 000 tonnes per annum) is deboned and sold as “boxed beef”.
• The deboning hall started in 1999 and boned approximately 4 tons of meat per day; a new deboning hall will be ready in early 2009 to accommodate the up to 80 tons per day.
• Deboning only takes place when the carcass has reached a core temperature of 6ºC. The temperature of the boning and packing hall does not rise above 8ºC during working hours which ensures the product is kept in top condition.
• All products are removed to either chillers or freezers within 40 minutes of deboning. Product is kept in chillers at between 0º - 2ºC which is monitored daily.
• The boxed product is weighed and uniquely identified through a bar code system to interface with our computer software systems. This allows Sparta to manage specific product traceability from abbatoir to customer to ensure superior product quality.
• Stock rotation is monitored on a daily basis and clients can on request have their stock matured for them.
• A three-month shelf life is guaranteed on our vacuumed product assuming the cold chain is not broken once the product is sold. Only cryovac packaging is used on our vacuumed products.
• Hygiene is a priority in the deboning hall. A full-time hygiene officer is employed to check on all staff in the boning hall and daily records are kept on file.
• Staff are highly trained and motivated with supervisors coming through the ranks.