Brad McLeod has a beef with the Canadian meat industry.
“We’re only interested in selling steaks and roasts,” the co-ordinator of the meat processing and management department at Olds College told attendees at the recent Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association conference.
He used sausages as an example.
“There is definitely a market for fresh sausages in Canada,” he said. “There’s lots out there that can be done and consumers are starved for it.”
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They’re also willing to pay good money for those types of value-added meat products. But understanding the market opportunities starts with understanding product offerings. McLeod points to sausages as an example.
“There are four different types of sausages and it’s important to understand this because of regulations,” he said. “The way you handle them and the way you cook them is a little different.”
The four types are fresh, cooked, cured, and fermented.
There are about five different types of fresh sausage made in Canada, which is a paltry offering compared to the variety available in Europe, he said. Fresh sausages have a short shelf life as they have no preservatives, although there are natural and artificial additives that can be added to extend shelf life and prevent rancidity.
“They won’t spoil to make you sick, they just have a rancid flavour and that’s oxidative rancidity,” said McLeod.
Cooked and smoked sausages, such as smokies and garlic sausages, are usually sold in vacuum packs and have about 45 days of shelf life.
Cured sausages must contain sodium nitrites, said McLeod.
“If you’re using an old recipe or you go on the Internet and see recipes calling for saltpetre, don’t do that,” warned McLeod. “A dime-sized piece of saltpetre is enough to kill someone, or cure 100 pounds of meat. Use sodium nitrite. It’s much safer and it’s usually mixed on a smaller scale.”
According to federal regulations, cooked and cured sausages cannot contain more than 40 per cent fat and added water, just two per cent isolated high-protein soy or milk products, and only 3-1/2 per cent other extenders. Cooked sausages include varieties such as liverwurst and head cheese.
Fermented sausage is a high-end product that is prepared after months of work.
“It’s never cooked at all and is raw meat that is months old and held in high temperatures above 4,” said McLeod. “These are very traditional products created because of lack of refrigeration back in the old days.”
Salami and traditional pepperoni are examples of fermented sausages, and both are usually dried for 21 days at four degrees.
“Most of the salamis that you buy are raw products that are never cooked,” said McLeod. “I don’t recommend that many people try it you have to really know what you’re doing.”
Bacon is a cured meat. Despite its popularity, it too has a lot of undeveloped market potential.
“Everyone likes bacon. It’s a No. 1 seller,” said McLeod.
He said there’s a shortage of different types of bacon that are available in Canada, and people are eager to try different varieties.
That’s true of the value-added meat marketplace in general, said McLeod. Once people taste the products, they will start buying them, he said.
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“Thereisdefinitelya marketforfreshsausages inCanada.”
Brad McLeod
